The Jin Saga 2 Continued
by SonKitty2
Summary: Jin Kazama sets out on a dark path to satisfy the evil lurking in his mind, wielding the power of the Mishima Zaibatsu and his devil gene.
1. Chapter 7 - Evil

**Chapter 7 - Evil**

Jin and his devil counterpart stared at each other, both standing, from across a short distance. A light smoke passed through lowly around their legs in a barren gray expanse.

"Chaos," Devil said, his gold eyes glistening with wickedness. "Put the world into chaos. That's what it wants."

They were discussing the unknown source calling them together, to act, some voice from that destructive night in the forest and the sense of something more even after overcoming Jinpachi. With his intention to get rid of Devil, Jin had been able to maintain a distinction of these aspects of himself for the time being.

"How do I know you're not lying just to get what you want? You'd demand that of me even without it." Jin stood with his arms folded. It was a habit he'd developed recently, guarding himself against everything now that he had accepted Devil's power as a means to an end.

"Why did you tell me your end game so quickly, kid? We cannot lie to each other, not now that we're both awake and listening."

"Kid?"

"Oh, am I allowed to call you by name now, Jin?"

"I suppose," Jin conceded, closing his eyes with a disinterested shrug. "If we must speak, I'd rather you call me that than 'kid.' Do you have a name?"

"Just the one you humans have given me. You could call me Glitter for all I care."

Jin couldn't help snickering in amusement. "'Devil' it is. For now."

"Yeah, when we meet Daddy, it could get confusing." Devil smiled.

Jin scowled for a moment and then shook it off. "You're right. I told you by instinct. It would have been in my best interest to just play along and wait, yet the words just flowed into you from me."

"Exactly. So…chaos. We both want to know, so let's do it."

"I don't understand how you can't know. You hear everything."

"The noise is bothersome," Devil admitted, referring to a general cacophony that ran through him, filled with sounds and dark desires all across the world. Jin could hear it too though it was faint. "It does give me the sense of going home, whatever that means."

"It's waking up, and you are probably a part of it, so it plans on taking you from me."

"Maybe. I'm sure we'll learn more as the chaos ensues like it wants. A pity if true. I wouldn't mind staying. Your blood is special, and you're a lot more fun when you're evil. Don't expect me to go quietly into that good night, _Jin_."

Jin's eyes shifted quietly to the ground for a moment. Then he looked back up and met evil's gaze. "I will be rid of you or die trying." The words were spoken fiercely with determination.

Devil took a few steps forward. "Your suicidal nature only benefits my immortality. If you cannot die or be rid of me, then what?"

"Then I die inside…somehow."

"You can't even do that now. You'd have done it already if it were that simple."

"What do you want me to say, wretch? Huh?!" Jin shouted at him, breaking his arms apart in protest, guard down. "That you win? Of course you win. You don't need to hear it from me. You've already won. It's just like you said in my nightmares. I'm just a shadow of that 'kid' as you called him. I am gone. I died two years ago when that old man shot me." Tears welled in his eyes as he tried to stop them.

Devil smiled an oddly sympathetic smile with no gloating or mocking behind it. After all, he had drilled it into this child and could feel what Jin did. He stepped forward again so that his body was parallel to Jin's. They stood next to each other, facing opposite directions. He lifted his head to their mind's sky. Above was a mass of dark clouds in motion. A few drops fell onto the pair in a light drizzle. Jin had stifled his tears. Devil closed his eyes briefly. "I know, kid." He held out his clawed gauntlet to feel the rain and brought his head down to stare at it. "They wronged you: that grandfather and the father who only saw you as a vessel containing me. They deserve every bit of hell you bring on them. 'Wrath' is what you are feeling Jin and unlike most humans, the power to act on it is yours." He looked to his left at Jin's profile, studying the muscular young figure beside him.

"I really am evil now, aren't I?" Jin turned his head to his own left to meet the creature's eyes. The words hinted at regret, the shadow's remorse. "Even if I do it all in the name of finding that voice, of following the belief that I am somehow saving the world by creating chaos and ridding myself of you…." He looked away and straight ahead. "I am evil."

"Power is everything," Devil said thoughtfully as he looked straight ahead as well, only facing the opposite direction. "That's your new motto, right? Plunge the world into chaos, and your power increases because it feeds me, who is now a part of you, and strengthens your own human resources. Those who get in the way will suffer or will die. Sure, you care a little about that, but it's not going to stop you, like it would have before, is it?" He returned his gaze to Jin's neck. "Hell yeah, it's evil."

The air grew cold, much to Devil's pleasure. The drizzle stopped. Fun Jin was about to appear and this downer of a shadow was about to go back into hiding. He had been properly consoled with a mere affirmation of his existence. "True." The human figure took a few careful and measured steps forward, turned around, and folded his arms once more, facing the black wings and scrawled dark markings on the back of his inner demon. Devil turned around. Their positions had swapped as they once again looked at each other, standing a short distance apart. "I get the feeling you have more to say on this chaos than just that word, so what is it?"

"When I still lived inside your father, the plan was to make the Mishima Zaibatsu its own country. That's not your starting point but a step to be taken soon. Once done, use that as an excuse to take resources, defend or claim land, whatever you want. That woman, Nina Williams, she is your starting point. Ogre had possessed her when you met, but she has been free from it since your fight back then. If you don't hire her as soon as possible, someone will undoubtedly hire her to kill you. She's not a threat, of course, but she is exactly the person you need at your side. She is an assassin, and you don't have to worry about petty moral concerns with her."

"Useful," Jin noted. The clouds had cleared, and the barren landscape grew lighter. Jin glanced around at their surroundings. "Morning approaches. You know the drill for the day."

"Until next time," Devil faded with a flurry of black feathers that surrounded Jin's body.

He woke up in his bedroom. Jin sat up and stared at his bare human hands. He opened and closed them and felt no pain. His blood felt cool running through his veins. The nightmares had stopped since defeating Hwoarang, and sometimes Devil formed within to talk as had been the case this night. The wicked voice still flowed in Jin's mind, depending on what was happening outside of the body, but its physical form had kept itself retracted since they defeated Jinpachi. The two were learning to cooperate with a shared body. Their end goals were not the same, but the steps to reach them were.

Jin suddenly heard a ferocious roar outside the door. Upon opening it, he saw none other than Heihachi's pet bear, Kuma, standing fully with arms raised ready to swipe at Jin. Kuma roared again. The new head of the Mishima Zaibatsu narrowed his eyes, now filled with contempt. He shoved the bear back into the wall of the hall with a strong force. "Leave. Now."

Kuma stood up dazed but ready to attack again. Only a few blows more before the bear lost consciousness. "Eyesore," Jin muttered.

_**Kill him.**_

Jin glared at the fallen beast, carefully evaluating Devil's suggestion and the consequences of how the other humans would react if and when they found out such cruelty. Was there anything to be gained by such an act? Not really, just one less nuisance and he regarded most people as nuisances now, so it was hardly a good reason. _Don't be absurd._ _He's just a helpless animal._

_**Never stopped me.**_

_I will not kill him. There is no power to gain here. He is no threat to me._

_**Then you need to get rid of him somehow. You have better things to do than swat away an annoying bear all day.**_

The young CEO had Kuma placed on a helicopter and rode with the unconscious mass of fur. The helicopter flew over the Hokkaido wilderness. _**Just kick him out. He'll live.**_ Jin first searched for a clearing to land instead, but Kuma started to awaken before one could be found. It could not be helped. With a swift kick, he tossed Kuma out into the brush below. Kuma roared in distress, but Jin had no doubt that the strong pet of his grandfather could survive.

"Sir…" the pilot said, not really sure what to add.

"He's fine," Jin told him. "You may have lost control and been killed if the bear fought me here."

The pilot went quiet.

_I will not needlessly sacrifice a pawn over something so trivial._

_**Yup, evil.**_


	2. Chapter 8 - Nina

**Chapter 8 - Nina**

Jin Kazama opened a manila folder and examined the information on Nina Williams, following up on Devil's suggestion to consider hiring her. He had remembered her from their encounter at the King of Iron Fist Tournament 3. She had lost, but he had not forgotten her being a worthwhile challenge. Since then, he had caught bits and pieces from overheard conversations about her capabilities. His sources had found where he was staying and learned she would be checking out of her hotel today. She would be harder to find after that.

Wearing all black attire, he took two other men with him and knocked on the door of her room. Nina looked through the peephole and was surprised to see him but opened the door, sensing no danger from his presence. "Jin Kazama," she said as a greeting instead of a simple hello.

Jin stepped inside the room, leading Nina to realize she had let him enter with ease. The two suited men with him stayed outside the door, not daring to trespass her domain as boldly as their leader. "Won't you come in?" she pretended to offer. She closed the door on the other two men. The solitary intruder did not react. Evidently, he had planned on talking to her alone anyway. He paced around her room and quietly studied it. The young man wore a long black coat that somehow looked heavy on his shoulders. The air suddenly felt cooler as if a chilly air surrounded his body.

"I've come to offer you a job," he stated without looking at her as he still examined the room. She saw him looking at her suitcase, which she had just been packing. He probably knew she was planning on checking out today. His words had been straight to the point, which was good. "The Mishima Zaibatsu is now mine." Jin looked at her. She had learned as much from the news in the aftermath of the tournament. "This job will be anywhere from six months to two years, depending on how the pieces fall into place. There are people who already want me dead and more to come in time, I am sure. I want you to be my personal bodyguard and assistant." The prospective employer looked through the window at the building across the street. "I believe the English idiom is 'right-hand man,' so 'right-hand woman' is perhaps the best term to describe it. I understand that someone of your caliber and in your line of work is not held back by petty moral concerns. I need that trait in such a position." He returned his gaze to where she stood.

Nina had been carefully watching him with arms akimbo as she waited for him to finish. "If you already know what I do, then you know that 'bodyguard' and 'assistant' are not typically my job." She nearly shrugged as she spoke.

"You will be well-compensated, I assure you. Your talents are useful to me, and you offer your services to those who pay, correct?

She folded her arms. "You're all business now, aren't you?"

He snickered. "Sure, 'business' is a fine word for it." The devil inside found it even funnier as a raucous cackle echoed in Jin's mind.

"All I'm saying is, you've changed. We didn't exactly chat last time, but there's something different about you. Speaking of last time, if we're going to work together, you should know I planned on killing you then. I was possessed by Ogre. I know you've dealt with that thing in the past." This woman was direct and spoke of the supernatural without alarm, laying out all her cards on the table for him. She was indeed exactly the person he needed.

Nina saw a quick flash of something in his eyes as Jin decided to not let on he had recently learned this news. She probably did not tell anyone. "That is indeed something I should know before hiring you. Ogre is gone. I killed it myself. Just do your job. As for me, you'll learn more once we've finalized your contract. I don't expect this change to be a problem with our business together." He made direct eye contact, and she could see their brown color plain as day.

"No, I suppose not, if you pay well enough."

"I will. If you have no other pressing engagements, I assume we can leave once you are finished packing." He motioned his hand toward her suitcase.

Her eyes darted to it and then back at him. "Sure. You can wait in the lobby, and I'll be there once I'm ready."

"See you then." The heavy long black coat whisked away with the young businessman wearing it.

Later, Nina and Jin rode inside a limo together in silence for most of the way. He was a man of few words, but she wasn't a talkative person either.

Eventually, he said, "I'm going to do some things that are considered immoral and criminal. I'm going to make enemies. That is your final warning before you sign on for this position. When someone comes to you with an offer for my life or a price is put on my head, I expect you to do your job. Do I make myself clear?"

She gave a small nod. "Certainly. You picked the right person for the job, Mr. Kazama."

"You can call me 'Jin' from this point onward. We're here. One of the assistants will work out the details of payment with you. The paperwork will take a couple of hours, so I will you see later this afternoon or evening. You will be directed to my office." He scribbled something down on a piece of paper. "That is my number. Memorize it. If you're ever somehow without your phone that you will be saving that into, you need to be able to reach me. I expect we'll be spending a lot of time together. Until then…" The car door opened, and she was gone.

The young CEO returned to his office where he learned that a man named Eddy Gordo had requested an appointment to speak to him directly. He had left an older photo of Kazuya as a token with a message that he had no quarrel with Jin in hopes that these pieces together would be enough to garner a meeting. The evil spirit nesting inside relayed familiarity with the name at least, so Jin consented.

Inside, he pressed a button to open up a wall of television screens where he could easily observe the current events of the world. The news tended to focus on violence, tragedy, crisis, and wrongdoing, making it a fine snack for his evil half. Eventually, Nina entered.

"All settled in?" Jin asked.

"All set."

"Good. I already have an assignment for you. In two days, I have an appointment with Eddy Gordo. I want you to research this man, tell me what you find, and I want to know what he wants before he tells me himself. You have twenty-four hours."

"Anything else?"

"Yes, I already sent you a detailed email, but here's the oral rundown. Security was lax during this past tournament, so I want an assessment of the damage the company experienced internally. I want proof that Heihachi Mishima is dead, because I still don't really believe it, be it a full body or even just dismembered limb or I want him found if he is alive."

"And if he is alive?"

The same flash from earlier flickered in Jin's eyes for a moment. "Don't expend any resources beyond protecting what is mine."

"You got it."

"I want a meeting set up with Dr. Bosconovitch. I want an update on the status of those who entered the tournament. Some of these fighters didn't even show up. Some were injured. These are the people who will be coming after me when we're ready for the next tournament. I want spies in G Corporation and regular updates on their internal affairs. Three executives were recently murdered while my father became CEO and promised an internal investigation, which means he killed them and will do nothing about it of course.

"Finally, and this is the most important one, this is your top priority: I want any and all research done by this company on the devil gene in the past sent directly to me. If you think it's unimportant, and it probably is, send it anyway. I will not take the chance of missing the needle in the haystack."

"Devil gene? What's that?" Nina asked.

"An excellent question, and that's why I'm having you find that research."


	3. Chapter 9 - Eddy

**Chapter 9 - Eddy**

"Eddy Gordo. Black male from Brazil. Escaped convict. Grew up in a wealthy family until he was arrested for the murder of his father. While in prison, he learned a fighting style called capoeira from a man named Raul Monteiro. After breaking free, Eddy sought out Monteiro's granddaughter, Christie Monteiro, and taught her capoeira as well. When Raul was released from prison to rejoin Christie and Eddy, he was frail and fell ill. Right now, he is fighting for his life. Due to our company's technological advancements, the Mishima Zaibatsu is the only known provider for the special surgery needed to save this man's life. Eddy Gordo will be here to ask you that save him." Nina was debriefing Jin on a number of things.

"I see," Jin noted.

"He was close to his father who, shortly before the time of his death, was working to take down the drug cartel in Brazil. It is likely that his father was close to succeeding and. Eddy was framed and willingly took the fall. After mastering capoeira and breaking out of prison, he broke into the cartel's headquarters where he learned from one of the guards that Kazuya Mishima had given the order to have his father killed. He entered the third tournament searching for answers despite Kazuya's presumed death during his imprisonment. As we now all know-"

"Kazuya is alive after all."

"Myself and most of the world don't know the specifics your family's feud, but we do know it exists, meaning Eddy Gordo will assume you and Kazuya are at odds with each other."

"So not only do I have the resources to possibly save his mentor's life, but I could be a stepping stone to revenge."

Nina nodded in agreement. "That's everything on Eddy." She had already placed a thick stack of papers and multiple folders with info on the devil gene at his desk.

"Next."

"The tournament fighter you hospitalized recovered and was released last week. One of the participants you did not encounter but may be of interest to you was a girl named Asuka Kazama. Records indicate she is your cousin. She was found in the same area as the final match of the tournament, unconscious."

"She had no business there," Jin remarked. He had not sensed her presence. That was disconcerting. She was lucky to be alive considering the shockwave he'd caused. "Did she say if she saw anything?"

"She said some kind of rock storm happened, and the shockwave from it knocked the wind out of her. Her contact information was logged if you need it. She fully recovered as well and has returned to Osaka. Ling Xiaoyu-"

"Unless she is dead or critically injured, I don't need to know. She's no enemy and thus no concern of mine. Email me Asuka's contact information." _**She can't help you.**_

_It falls well within my end game to check, wretch._ "Wretch" and "kid" had become the affectionate nicknames of annoyed exchange between the two in their thoughts and in their dreams. On Jin and Nina's meeting went. Devil had interrupted only that once and otherwise listened with intent.

The following day, Eddy Gordo found himself in a spacious office with glass plane windows and a chilling presence where he saw Jin Kazama waiting for him.

"Have a seat," Jin commanded.

Eddy complied but almost felt another force guiding him toward the chair from his back.

"What is that you want?" Jin asked.

Eddy laid out the same story Nina already did regarding helping his sick mentor. "I would do anything to help him."

"Anything?" Jin inquired with interest. "And this photo of my father?" Jin asked, holding up the token.

"You and him are enemies, right?"

"Right."

"It's the same for me. I didn't think you'd let me in without something. I thought that information might be of value to you"

Jin eyed the photo and started twiddling it between the fingers on his right hand. "It is. I understand you are a capable fighter?"

Eddy glanced around and looked at the floor. "Yes." Something in this room was making him feel really nervous. Why was it so cold in here?

_**Delicious fear.**_ Devil whispered through Jin's mind as his human host sat emanating his dark power with authority.

_You do know he can sense you._

_**The coldness is you. I'm just enjoying this human's reaction. **_

_Me? _Jin continued on as if no exchange had passed in his mind. "I have a use for you. Join my Tekken Force, and you have access to the Mishima Zaibatsu's resources to save your mentor's life."

"What? Me?"

"You just said you were a capable fighter."

"Yeah, but-" Eddy wasn't even really sure what he would have said in protest, but he was cut off.

"Gordo, I'm starting a war. I need soldiers. The clock is ticking for that old man. We have a common enemy. It's just business. You have twenty-four hours to give me your answer. Hopefully that won't do too much damage to your mentor's condition."

"I'll do it. I don't need a day. I said I'd do anything, and I meant it. Nothing will change the fact that this is his only chance."

"I will see to it the necessary arrangements are made. Don't get reckless when it comes to Kazuya. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed."

Eddy left, and Jin stood up to walk to the glass plane windows and look outside after pouring himself a glass of ice water. _**Someone is watching you, **_Devil informed him_**.**_

Jin did not reply directly, knowing Devil could not answer precisely who, and merely took a drink. He surveyed the other buildings as if he were enjoying the scenery. His enhanced sight finally saw the distant figure, but he pretended not to notice so as not to give himself away to his observer. _Good to know. __**Let them watch me tear apart the earth beneath them.**_ The last thought passed in an uncommon perfect unison that made the human half a little uneasy. However, he maintained his stature and returned to his desk.

The spectator in question was a black man dressed in mostly black with shaved dyed blonde hair and dark sunglasses over a large cross-shaped scar on his face, code-named Raven. His superiors had a heightened interest in just what Jin Kazama and his newly acquired Mishima Zaibatsu planned to do next.


	4. Chapter 10 - Research

**Chapter 10 - Research**

Experiments had been done by Heihachi to replicate the devil gene's effects. Steve Fox, Nina's son, had resulted in a scarred arm but no discernible difference otherwise given his strength passed for above average but not on the scale as a devil form.

Genocell was a compiled work of data stolen from G Corporation with a purpose of allowing a subject the ability to suppress and control the devil gene. Aside from its name and description, the data had been erased by Julia Chang around the time of the fourth King of Iron Fist tournament. Alone in his office, this time with drapes covering the window, a black and purple aura like liquid smoke swirled around a seething but analytical Jin Kazama trying to decide just what this meant. A glass of water on his desk shattered, attracting his attention and out of his quiet fury. He glanced at the miniscule destruction he had just caused. That was new. Telekinesis? The shattered pieces lifted into the air momentarily before he set them down. He was admittedly quite fascinated, his anger cast aside. _How long have I been able to do that?_ He wasn't really meaning to ask Devil, just sort of pondering aloud in his own mind, but his internal companion replied all the same.

_**Since the day you defeated that fiery Korean boy. I've been able to do it since destroying that forest.**_

So it was. He had dreamed of using telekinesis to cause an explosion, hadn't he? Not to mention the real fire during his transformation. The smoky aura had dissolved as he contemplated the next step regarding the loss of data. Genocell's intended use was to extend to other people, but he had no interest in allowing this power to be used by others, even his own minions. This idea put quite the wrench into his hopes. Was this why he was being watched? The prospect annoyed him. He cleaned up his shattered glass as he continued his reverie.

Both he and Devil considered the possibility that a weakened devil form to be a likely side effect as well. Control of this nature had to come at a price. If Kazuya were in fact already using Genocell, and suffered such a side effect, it would explain his loss at Honmaru and no-show at the most recent tournament. Undoubtedly, he would have been interested in the power from Jinpachi begging to be stolen if he had heard its call. Then again, it could simply be that Jin was stronger.

The young man's primary goal was to remove the devil gene. He had not considered weakening it and the consideration did not last long. He had recognized his value for power, and prospective weakness for his devil form had no part in that. If the evil power were fated to be his, he would have it at its pinnacle height and all to himself at that. He could sense Devil's pleasure in agreement at the greedy thought. The human part left inside did not often allow his mind to venture in a direction that suggested the devil gene could be kept.

_**It would not have worked. She saved you the trouble of a dead end. You're too far gone.**_

Jin knew that Devil was probably right and not lying in his firm belief that what he said was true. Still, neither of them could be one-hundred percent certain without proof. He could pursue having the data recreated and mission altered to instead focus on only him and removal. But that would just make it a completely different project with hardly anything to do with its predecessor. He'd finish traversing the research first.

Further reading into the Mishima Zaibatsu's records retold Jin's own story that he mostly knew, as it logged one of the only known devil gene activations to have taken place: when he was shot by Heihachi. He did his best to read the information with detachment. It was here that he confirmed for the first time that he had indeed killed one of the Tekken Force soldiers that night. _**I should have killed them all. Find out who they were. I will gladly finish the job.**_

_That is not my goal and a waste of resources. They were always mere tools and have changed to my hands now. Let's keep reading. _

The information about discovering Kazuya's body was new but light. Jin already knew everyone thought he was dead. He and Devil hadn't had much reason to discuss the exact circumstances of how the spirit ripped in half from the one in Jin's father though they soon would. Learning about the volcano drop was enlightening. Evidently, it would have been fatal to Kazuya's body without assistance from G Corporation.

Devil's silence was deafening. Jin closed his eyes to enter the landscape of his mind. Here, Jin stood wearing black pants and a black button-down shirt but no black coat. They were both on the edge of a high cliff next to a river of flowing lava.

"You have nothing to say on this matter?" Jin asked.

Devil stared down into the chasm below, his left side in profile view to his human half. "Don't do it," he advised simply without looking at Jin. The words weren't stated as some kind of threat as Jin had expected. The creature was trying to mask his fear.

"So, this," Jin gestured to the lava. "That would kill us."

Devil continued staring at it and turned his head right, still not meeting Jin in the eyes, to follow the lava's path to some unseen place. "I doubt it. I'm sure it would hurt like hell again, but I find it hard to believe your body couldn't handle it. Your powers are different than Kazuya's."

"Only one way to find out," Jin challenged, folding his arms. He didn't really mean he would do it, take their body to a real volcano and just leap in, for reasons he suspected Devil was about to reveal.

The personified evilness knew Jin's intent just as well, but he finally turned to meet his human side's eyes. "I would not allow you. I'd transform instantly and rest assured wicked child, I would not stop there. In fact, I think it's time you relived it so you know just what it is you are suggesting." Devil shoved the human form down into the orange and yellow river.

Jin felt his body go limp and then being carried, step by step. He couldn't see, only sense the movement. Then he fell, hitting some rocks along the way to the bottom. The body transformed. He could not see it, but he knew…the bat-like wings on his back and skin were a leathery purple. Searing pain passed through the young man's whole body. It was like being burned alive yet unable to die. He ripped himself from the host, grasping at escape, feeling incomplete and lost, looking back only once at the rest of the damaged devil being left behind.

A metallic clawed hand reached in and pulled Jin up back onto the rocky terrain. The human figure struggled to breathe, hunched on all fours as he glared begrudgingly at his evil counterpart. Devil saw a moment of restrained anger pass in Jin, as the boy defied the urge to lash back and said, "So, that's how it happened."

The evil half maintained a blank and serious gaze, nodding quietly without a word. It was not like the being to be stoic. That was Jin's nature. The young CEO opened his eyes in his office. Well, that settled it. No volcanoes, at least not on purpose. Someone else could test the theory if they were strong enough to knock him unconscious and would still have to hope some pack of mortal fools didn't dig up the body.

Still perusing the documents Nina left him, Jin found some speculative notes about possible demons that could be associated with his devil gene. The notes made mention of his black-feathered wings, suggesting a possible fallen angel.

Azazel.

The name was not at the top of the list, but Jin's eyes instinctively found it quickly enough in the list of A's. He didn't close his eyes, this time as Devil decided to manifest as just an apparition in his office. The words continued to pass in thoughts only. "That's you, isn't it? A fragment of him."

"I told you I don't have a name and that I cannot lie to you."

"So you divert the question to not answer it. Yes, I can see that."

"Maybe I was a fragment of Azazel, sure. Maybe Azazel is calling me through you, not denying that either. But you can see me now. You can hear me now. You're not the only one in this body that changed. When I tell you I am not Azazel, that is true. I am not. I could have been, but now I'm just 'Devil' or 'wretch' or whatever you feel like calling me. I like your name, Jin, just fine."

"We're still different enough. Were you a fragment of Azazel before you changed me? Before Kazuya even?"

A long pause ensued. "Don't you dare pretend to forget what I just told you. Yes. You could even have considered me a fragment of a fragment. I'm well past being a mere fragment by this point. You've nurtured my growth quite nicely."

Jin looked around his office with contemplation. "We cannot stay together if this is the path you have chosen for us. My goal is to end you because you have destroyed me."

Devil stared coldly at his host for a moment before his mouth twisted into a smirk. "Go ahead, fight Azazel. Call on my power. I'll be more than happy to help. You don't have to worry about that part." The apparition leaned down, resting his clawed arms, palms down, at the desk to face the sitting businessman. "But when that's done…"

Jin sighed in exasperation, leaning his head back into his chair's headrest. "How can you be so sure? I know you can be at least partially severed. We just relived it together."

Devil removed his arms from the desk and backed away a few steps. "That was over twenty years ago, kid. I've changed since then, and you weren't even born. I checked, in case you forgot. I doubt you are even mortal by this point and that I can be removed from this body. The answer, as I keep telling you, is in your blood."

Not even mortal? It was not the first time Devil had alluded to the possibility, but Jin would not dare believe it. The frustrated CEO examined the Genocell summary again. His opinion had not changed. This idea was a suppressant that risked weakness; he needed something to remove the devil gene entirely. Even if Chang hadn't destroyed the original data, he may have done so himself given the chance. The original objective differed too much from his true desire. "No Genocell," he decided. "Azazel and I will destroy each other. You have overconfidence in this body but so long as it's put to the same use, so be it. Stay the course." Devil said nothing as the apparition of him faded, bearing a satisfied sneer.

The rest of the world soon felt the evils plaguing Jin Kazama's mind as he followed Devil's advice upon declaring his own nation and war to those who opposed him. He seized energy and technology resources for himself. He named his country Mishima after the Mishima Zaibatsu that was to hold the country and to have the surname of his family he so despised to be despised by his victims as well. The hatred and fear by so many filled him up, invigorating his demonic powers.

His actions caught the attention of his own father at G Corporation. Anna Williams had joined the elder Mishima, seeing Kazuya as the natural opposition to Jin and thus her sister. Upon Kazuya's instructions, she did some digging on just what they could find out about his suddenly power-hungry offspring: "Your son kept a rather low profile most of his life. He lived alone with Jun Kazama for 15 years and after she disappeared, he sought out your father for help. The time after that is the most info we could find on him in his lifetime up until his little war. Heihachi took him in, trained him, and Jin went to school. The girl you met at the fourth tournament was a schoolmate of his and seems to be his only friend, ever, and as you well know-"

"She was looking for him."

"Jin beat Ogre's true form and disappeared after that. The Mishima Zaibatsu has kept a very tight lid on the rest of the details of what happened that night. All I could find was a stat of two injured and one dead Tekken Force soldiers. No names, no injury descriptions, no cause of death, just that."

Kazuya raised his eyebrows with interest. Perhaps Jin had already killed someone then.

"Then he just disappeared for two years. Heihachi scoured the world looking for him and couldn't find him, so your son must be pretty resourceful to stay hidden for so long. Ling Xiaoyu, that's the girl you met, thinks he may have sent her an anonymous email warning her about Heihachi."

"If true, that means he cared about her, at least at some point. Hmmm. Keep going."

"Apparently, he changed his fighting style during that time. You know the details of the fourth tournament. You were there, he was there, you fought, robots attacked, Honmaru exploded, Heihachi died, etc. Your usual Mishima family affair," she remarked dryly as she flipped to glance at another page of notes she held. "Then Jin disappears off the grid again for two months, only to resurface at the fifth tournament. He put another boy in the hospital, went on to win the tournament, and you of course know that he's currently mucking up the planet."

"What'd you get on the other boy's injuries?" Kazuya asked.

Anna showed him some photos with Devil Jin's victim having several bandages covering parts of his body. "He's Korean, near the same age as Jin, goes by Hwoarang. The kid's lucky to be alive after this beating."

"This one is the key but follow-up on the girl too."

Anna strutted out, and the G Corporation leader leaned back into his chair, closing his eyes. "What are you really after, Jin, or is it simply that you have already been lost to your devil?" he thought to himself.


	5. Chapter 11 - Fireplace

**Chapter 11 - Fireplace**

Night had fallen at the Mishima Zaibatsu compound and with it had come a visitor – or rather, a former resident. A small group of unconscious solders lay on the ground before a familiar figure to the larger group now surrounding him.

"So, Jin got himself a lackey, did he?" Heihachi Mishima taunted a slender blonde Irish woman standing across from him. She had arrived with the larger group of soldiers. The rumors were true: his grandson had become leader of the Mishima Zaibatsu in Heihachi's absence, recovering from an explosion intending to end his life.

Nina sneered. "It's just business."

"He's only using you. You'll be tossed out like the trash you are soon enough." The boy would have no interest in this woman otherwise.

"What do you care? I should point out, most people don't hold onto garbage for twenty years." She narrowed her eyes, intensifying her stare as she looked her former captor square in the eyes.

Heihachi grimaced, recalling how he had held her and her sister in cryogenic freeze. They had awakened when Ogre did, and he allowed fate to run its course for them. "You were worthless in the end. Even so, doesn't that bother you about him?"

Nina smirked. "That's between me and Jin. If you've got something to say before you go back into your fake little grave, say it. Otherwise, get out of here. You're on private property."

"Oh? The boy wants me to live…?"

Nina snickered. "I'm not at liberty to discuss such matters."

"I could break you here and now," Heihachi said with even enunciation on each word.

"Maybe some other time," she said as she winked at him. "Today," she walked to his right side. "Your body would be riddled with too many bullets," she whispered into his ear.

The intention was to start choking her as he reached his right arm to her neck, but she was planning on exactly that. She grabbed his arm and hit the back of his knee, holding tight to the arm as she positioned herself to then wrap both her arms around his neck, becoming the strangler amidst the two of them.

"I could break you here and now," she teased and bluffed using his words. She knew the Mishimas were in their own league, but this man was clearly underestimating her. She held him tight for several seconds, enough to know that he had made himself vulnerable by lashing out at her. Then she released him.

An out of breath Heihachi glared at her. "What are you to him? Hmm? You're more than just any lackey."

"We're not here to talk about me. Are you leaving or not?"

"Tell that whelp he will regret this. He should have had you kill me on sight. The Mishima Zaibatsu is mine, and I will have it back. The next time I see you lackey, will be the last." He walked away, seething.

"And then back into the freezer?" she called after him as a taunt. "How boring," Nina said to herself, more in reference to the grandfather's message for his grandson though it applied to her own threatened fate as well. She posted guards to the area and decided she needed to inform Jin right away. News like this wasn't supposed to wait and better delivered in person.

It was perhaps an hour later when Jin stood alone in his room, lights off, staring into an empty fireplace with his right arm grasping the mantle, contemplative. The chilling air surrounding his body permeated the room. He didn't feel it the way others did, but he knew it was there. He released his grip and took a few steps back. With a deep breath, his entire body changed as he exhaled and became his devil form. The evil creature stared blankly at the firewood, as concentrated as his human counterpart a moment before, and the flames shot upward with a fierce jolt before subsiding.

A knock at the door disrupted a likely internal discussion that was about to ensue. Nina heard some rustling within the room as Jin reverted to human form. "Who is there?"

"Nina."

"Just a moment."

She waited a few minutes. He opened the door, holding it ajar and blocking the view into his room. "Heihachi's alive, as you suspected. I can give you the full report tomorrow if you'd like."

His eyes didn't flash, and in fact, the news didn't seem to faze him in the least as he said, "No, come on in, tell me now. I'll get us some drinks."

She entered the spacious room to see he had his fireplace at work and pondered if it had anything to do with how cold Jin's presence seemed to make any room he entered. The fire had been produced as a cooperative exercise of power. The evil side thoroughly enjoyed Jin's coldness, but warmth upon airing out his wings had been welcome. Nina saw some scattered black feathers on the floor.

"Were you…?" Did he know that she knew he had a devil form? It was in the research, and he hadn't really told her not to read any of it.

Jin had two wine glasses in his hands and looked down at the feathers. She probably had read at least some of that material she gave him. "How much do you know?" he asked as he calmly poured her a glass without looking at her, followed by his own.

"Enough to know what happened in Mexico and that this might be you." She took a sip, following his casual lead for this conversation.

"Then you already know the answer." He took a sip as well.

They sat on the floor in front of the flickering fire.

"So, you can transform at will now?" She looked to his face to read those eyes and see if they flashed anything.

Again, they did not change, but he looked deep in thought as he reflected on a proper answer as if he would find it in the flames. "Yes." One simple word for what Nina was sure had to be a more complicated matter.

"Well then, onto business." She relayed what transpired as they drank.

"Having Heihachi Mishima at your mercy. That is no small task, Nina Williams," he stated as he poured her another glass. It was the most relaxed she had ever seen her boss.

"Hmm, well, I'm very good at my work, Jin Kazama."

Their glasses clinked together in a toast.

He lay on his side, resting his head on his right hand. "I don't think of you as trash," he said, staring at his glass as he said it.

Nina grabbed two pillows from his bed, handed him one, and lay on her stomach, resting her elbows on the other. Jin rested his left arm holding his wine glass on his pillow. The right-hand woman replied, "I know. We made our agreement when you hired me."

"True enough."

"As your assistant, am I allowed to ask you any personal questions?"

"So long as it's not about my family or where I went after Mexico, you can ask. I do not promise an answer. Or even that the answer will be true."

"Alright then. Do you like anyone?" She was genuinely curious with one particular person in mind.

"Like anyone? What, like romantically?"

"In any way."

He sipped some wine and shook his head. "Nope, no one. I tolerate people and manipulate them, but I don't like anyone."

"Oh, an actual answer."

He smirked. "It might not be true."

"Me included?"

"If you consider employment manipulation, then yes. But then, you're using me too, for my money."

"I suppose so. Who do you find most tolerable?"

He stifled a short laugh. Was she fishing for her name or something? "I'm not answering that."

"Have you ever been physically intimate with someone?"

"Now we're getting really personal. What a curious thing to ask. I just told you: I don't like anyone."

"Doesn't stop some people."

The young man raised his eyebrows as if that were an entirely new idea to him but said nothing further.

"You still don't trust me. That's why you won't tell me…about that girl."

"Oh, you're thinking of Xiao. Is that why you're asking these types of questions?"

She nodded since he didn't say it with annoyance or anger, as she expected.

There was a pause before he finally said, "We were friends before everything changed."

"And now?"

"Things are different. I can remember friends, but I cannot have friends."

"Because of your devil gene?"

"Correct."

Both of them had enough conversation by this point and quietly finished their drinks together in a mutually understood silence. After Nina left, Jin went back to staring at the fire. He didn't feel like having one of his duality talks here. "I need some air," he muttered. He left the compound on his motorcycle, heading to the roof of one of the less important Zaibatsu buildings. He knew his usual stalker could still be watching, but he would take the risk, perhaps it would give the observer false confidence that he had not yet been discovered.

The young man's body freed his wings to become his devil form and sat perched, overlooking the city streets below. Casual observers could not have seen him even if they looked in his direction, clouded away by their own concerns. Only someone looking for him would be able to see him, which he knew could include the one who watched him from the shadows. This time, it was Jin that stood with arms folded as an apparition, his long black coat, leaning against the wall, facing the other direction and eyes closed. The being knew there was a small and unintentional chance that the stalker could see the apparition instead of the devil or both. However, the internal discussion was more important than some eavesdropping fly on the wall that could not hear the words passing between selves in thought.

"Your humanity can't come back through her. You're just a paycheck to her, and she's just an asset to you. Beyond that, she is merely intrigued by the circumstances," Devil said.

"I know," Jin agreed. "But, it was the closest to human I felt in a long time. Even now, the breeze this evening is nice. My muscles don't feel as tight."

"Your body's not emitting that chill, but you know that's because I've taken form."

Jin nodded. "Do you know why my body does that?"

"I can only guess. Your behavior is cold, and so your cursed body emits that to others beyond just what you say and what you do. It extends to how you feel and how you make others feel. Even I feel it in your dreams."

"Mishima blood?"

"Corrupted Kazama blood."

Jin had no idea how to respond to this new information at first. He had no use for it, at least not that he could think of in this moment, and Devil admitted to only be guessing. "Makes about as much sense as you, I suppose."

Devil snickered, and another pause passed between the two. "Think I could teleport to the roof across the street?" Devil asked.

"You could just fly there if you can't, so it shouldn't be hard to test. Given enough time with the war, I'm sure it will happen soon. I intend to use the power to see Asuka."

"Kid, I've told you…"

"I remember what you said. That should make a trip easy then, right? I confirm it. Just because you can't intentionally lie to me doesn't mean everything you say is true. If you believe it but are wrong, I need to know."

A silence passed, longer than the two before it. Devil knew he had a strong influence on Jin's mind, so did Jin, but they both knew it was ultimately Jin who decided the course. The boy held tight to his declared mission. If Jin wanted to see that girl, Devil could not stop him. He could perhaps deny his power's use in that manner, but Jin could just hop on a train or a jet the next day instead. He hadn't done so yet because he had kept himself quite busy and was trying to figure out how to approach her, preferably without his increasing number of enemies knowing. Devil's power would just make it easier but was not required to make it possible. They had too much of each other for a straight possession. Finally, Devil consented with, "You win that round, Jin. Let's test it out already."

The human apparition faded, and a vision of black feathers swirled Devil's body as he disappeared instantly to reappear on the roof across the street. The evil creature sneered with pleasure. He tried again, this time to where Jin had parked his motorcycle. The devil features left the young man, replaced by his original attire. _It's still short-range, so a visit to Osaka will have to wait._ It would definitely come in handy for avoiding his stalker.

Not far from their location, Raven lurked in the shadows as Jin had suspected, alarmed. He had been tailing the young CEO with ease, saw both the devil and the apparition without knowing which was real, and before he knew it, both had disappeared. The agent suspected a manipulation of the senses, especially given that at least one of them had to be an illusion. What if both were? The main known powers of the specimen in question were increased strength, speed, healing, and the ability to fly. It seemed he had more. Raven made his way to the roof where Jin had stood, searching for any sign. The usual key sign, a few scattered black feathers, could be found, answering at least that much though he still didn't understand why the destructive monster had committed no damage or how he disappeared.


	6. Chapter 12 - Opposition

**Chapter 12 - Opposition**

Kazuya Mishima watched a clip of his son declaring the Mishima Zaibatsu its own country and war on all opposition. The brown eyes evoked a newfound coldness that the boy had gained since their last encounter. The burning hatred for his family was buried behind a clouded gaze on whatever scheme the devil inside worked on its host.

A quick knock on the door pulled Kazuya out of his thoughts as Anna entered with a young orange-haired Korean. "Hwoarang is here to see you, as requested. Don't have too much fun without me, boys," said Anna flirtatiously as she left.

Hwoarang looked around Kazuya's office first and whistled, impressed. "You Mishimas sure know how to live it up," he remarked. "Nice place."

Kazuya only stared back without a word.

"Tch, I'm already seeing the resemblance. What do you want, old man?"

"I want to know what happened when you fought Jin Kazama."

"Everyone knows what happened. I ended up in the hospital no thanks to that psycho. Ya'll got anger issues. And people give me a hard time for a short fuse."

"Interesting," Kazuya commented. "Jin Kazama disappeared for two years, then again after two months, but it's only after his fight with you that he suddenly doesn't mind the whole world watching him become a tyrant. He's even started a war. Don't you think that's odd? It's as if he snapped and became a completely different person."

Hwoarang scoffed. "You're telling me." He folded his arms in annoyance.

"So, I'm asking you, young man, did he change when he fought you?"

Hwoarang looked at Kazuya directly with suspicion, analyzing Jin's father more closely. "What's with your eyes? One of them's red. Did he get it from you? That'd make his whole 'I have family problems' speech make sense." By now, Hwoarang had unfolded his arms and made mocking air quotes. His hands then fiddled at the bottom of the chair.

"You saw it then," Kazuya observed.

Hwoarang lowered and shook his head, running his right hand through his hair. "I don't know why I bothered coming. You two are just two sides of the same coin."

Kazuya folded his arms and waited.

The young Korean sat back up, leaned back a bit, and sighed. "The fight was over. I had won. He was down. Next thing I know, the whole place is on fire and a _thing_ that looks like him nearly kills me."

"What was different?" Kazuya asked.

Hwoarang scoffed again in disbelief and frustration. This didn't feel right. "I don't know. I don't even see why it matters. It's still fuzzy. He had black wings like a bird and his hands, the fingers were all metal claws. I remember that part because he practically choked me to death with those before I lost consciousness."

"Any idea why he spared you?"

Hwoarang paused and went quiet for a long time. He'd been replaying the incident in his head over and over, trying to figure that out. "I wanted to think some part of him stopped himself. He had been trying to warn me before the match. But when I see what he's done since then…I can't believe it. I haven't a clue. That devil looked more than ready to end my life."

"Were you friends?"

"Not really. We're rivals. Your son's got some skills, and I've never felt more alive than when I fought him. I didn't know him well. He's not outgoing like I am. He never seemed like a bad guy… until that day. A friend would have told me what was going on, not just 'family problems.' Understatement of the year. That guy's always trying to do everything himself, even now, fighting the whole world and for what?"

"I see. Well, I'll put a stop to him soon enough. That will be all, Hwoarang. We'll keep in touch. I trust you can show yourself out."

"Can't say it's been a pleasure. Bye."

[…]

The Mishima Zaibatsu discovered some ruins in Egypt that had not been on a map before. Jin went to survey the place himself. The architecture colors matched the sands of the surrounding desert. The path before him like concrete as a number of statue figures aligned it acting as guards. He could sense the distant voice that Devil knew better than him probably lived here. He didn't need to reach the door to know it could not open yet.

"Jin Kazama!" a woman's voice declared behind him.

He turned around to see a dark-haired woman with eyes that looked on him with disapproval and determination. "I am Zafina. You must stop your war. You don't know what you are doing to this place. You should not be here!"

"I will come and go from this place as I please. Judging by the release of the seal, I am welcome to do so. However, you need not concern yourself with me any further today. I have the information I want." He began to walk towards her, and she tensed up her muscles only to realize he really did have every intention of leaving, largely unconcerned by her arrival, as he walked right past her.

She also felt the chill that others did, and then she suspected all the more that he was one of the two evil stars at work. "There is a deep darkness in your heart, an abyss," she told him.

"Abyss?" he paused and glanced back to her without turning his body around.

"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you."

"Friedrich Nietzsche," Jin remarked with a nod, recognizing the quote. "I know it."

"Then why are you doing this? Why are you being a monster?"

By this point, he had finally turned fully to face her. He narrowed his eyes to some place that did not look at her. "Everything is already in motion, Zafina." He shifted his gaze to meet her eyes. "I will see it to the end." The young man turned around and left.

One night not long after his visit to the ruins, "You're doing well, my puppet," a deep, monstrous voice rang in Jin's mind as he slept. The voice was not the one Jin recognized as Devil. "The other star does not respond to my calling, but you have his attention. Bring him to me. Release me. More destruction. More suffering. The negative energy will give me physical form."

The landscape was over a canyon at sunset as Jin stood on a cliff dressed in his usual dark clothing and long black coat. "Azazel?" Jin asked.

"The conversation is one-way, Jin," Devil said as he manifested an appearance a few feet above his human counterpart, descending gracefully to the ground to stand next to him. "He's imprisoned and not sharing a body with you. I guess you can hear him more clearly since the seal on the ruins broke."

"What did he mean by 'other star'?"

"Kazuya, of course."

"Kazuya? Why is he not responding? Can he not sense Azazel the way I do?"

"I don't know what's happening in your father's head anymore, not from this distance. Someone like him doesn't call out to the noise we hear. He's got his own devil to interact with those thoughts. If I had to wager a guess, I'd say that seems likely to be the case."

"I suppose there isn't much point in asking why if you can only guess," the young man remarked. 

"Next step?" Devil asked.

Jin stood, contemplative, overlooking the scene and took a step closer to the edge, looking at the rocky ground on which his feet rested. "I continue amassing power with this little dance for the one who thinks he's pulling the strings." He raised his head to look at the rocky cliffs standing high above a barely visible small river flowing below. "And if that thing wants Kazuya, I find an in to Kazuya. It is prudent to do so regardless of Azazel's bidding."

Devil stood just behind Jin, their metaphorical bodies nearly touching. He embraced the young man from behind and inhaled to take in a deep breath, savoring Jin's wickedness.

Jin closed his eyes and exhaled, sharing the same breath. He did not resist, letting the touch that would crush anyone else enclose his frozen heart. The brown eyes re-opened to see the sky had become dark as if night had fallen a moment before, illuminated by a brilliant full moon and expanse of stars. He still felt inhuman but at least whole, even knowing and lamenting, "We are only using each other."

"You could always just change your mind. It wouldn't be the first time," his inner demon spoke next to Jin's right ear in a lowered voice.

"And there it is. Don't you manipulate me enough already, Devil? I am he who stared at the abyss for too long, and you are what is staring back into me, an unfathomable darkness embodying the monster I have become in my fight."

"Such poetic flattery," Devil said softly with an evil grin Jin knew formed upon the other's face. The winged monster playfully batted the tendrils of Jin's bangs with his claws and then ran them between his metallic fingers, quietly admiring the corrupted child. The boy no longer feared the unreal damage he could cause in any form in his conquest for power to do the impossible above all. Jin let the creature toy with his hair without protest. Devil could maul the boy's face in this unguarded moment or toss him into the canyon, yet both knew that was not in the plan, not tonight at least. "Very well, Jin Kazama. I will tempt you later."


	7. Chapter 13 - Asuka

**Chapter 13 - Asuka**

Asuka sat atop the roof of her father's dojo, deep in thought. Her cousin had started a war, and she couldn't help thinking back to that day at the end of the last tournament. She had sensed something important happening in the ruins of Honmaru, but she lost consciousness amidst a flurry of wind and debris.

"Beautiful, isn't it? The glimmering lights in the darkness," an ominous figure stood on the roof, startling her. Asuka squinted because the speaker did not look human but did look familiar.

"Jin?!" Then she rushed to start hitting him only to find herself stopped mid-air, struggling to stop her own hands from grasping at her neck.

"You will not touch me or I will throw you off the roof next time," the creature said coldly as he brought her down to land. "I did not come here to fight. Speak with me." The demonic traits flashed away from the body instantly so that Asuka could see the figure of her cousin before her. She still wasn't sure it was him. Maybe this was a dream of some kind.

She sat down annoyed. "What do you want?" Jin sat down next to her and was quiet for a long time, taking in the scenery he had described a moment before. She felt a chill in the air that receded the longer he stayed, but his silence confused her to the point of irritation. Didn't he say he wanted to talk?

The chill returned instantly as he snapped her out of her thoughts, saying, "I can't be the only one who has found you though I suspect I am the first to reach out to you. Correct?"

"Found me? What are you talking about?"

"Answer the question first," he ordered.

"Aren't you bossy? I don't even know what you're talking about, so how can I answer?" This conversation bothered Asuka. She should be punching him.

"Close enough," Jin decided. "You're related to me from the same side as my mother."

"I know that already."

"That makes you a person of interest to my enemies."

"Great." She rolled her eyes. She had enough problems at school dealing with people taunting her about her tyrant cousin.

"Don't be fooled by the G Corporation. If they come to you and ask for help in stopping me, don't believe them," he advised.

"And I should believe you? Sounds like a really obvious setup to me, Jin."

"Maybe," the young man replied cryptically.

"You're a lot of help," she said back with resigned sarcasm as she rested the bottom of her chin into the palm of her right hand, elbow on her knee.

"Why were you there?" Jin asked softly. "They found you in the rubble."

"A hunch," she confessed. It was strange that he should turn up just when she was thinking about it herself. "I was looking for something, but I couldn't find it."

"What was it?"

"I'm not sure. I thought I'd know when I saw it."

Jin reflected on her response without comment.

A suspicion entered Asuka's mind. "Wait…do you know what happened? You were there too, weren't you?" she asked. She suddenly gasped. "You! I was looking for that devil version of you!"

He smiled slyly, closing his eyes, reveling in the knowledge of all the details that happened that day. Her cousin didn't say anything to confirm nor deny her conclusion

Upon realizing he had no intention of responding further, Asuka asked pointedly, "Why are you so evil? What are you? You're not really Jin anymore, I think."

"Sounds like you have it all figured out," the human shape of her cousin said as he stood to his full height. She followed his lead and stood as well, still wanting to hit him for being such a monster. He paused for a moment to look her up and down and suddenly clasped her right hand in both of his, placing it on his chest.

"Hey, what are you doing?! You told me not to touch you." She tried to pull away, but he held tight.

"Wait," he commanded.

Bossy again. She stopped struggling for a moment as she looked at him in shock and repulsion. Her cousin's skin was like ice, and she could feel his heartbeat. However, the cold surrounding where they touched burned with its intensity. He released his grip. Asuka held her hand, trying to warm it.

"Geeze Jin, that hurt! What is wrong with your skin?"

The devil form appeared instantly with a smirk and replied, "I knew it was too late. You really hate me too, as well you should. I am just so horrible, after all. Absolutely unforgivable."

The last two words came out slowly and emphatically. Those and the ones before it reeked of an evil pleasure, goading her hatred. Devil Jin wanted her to despise him, as if he were drinking her emotions in the air. Despite sensing his intentions, Asuka's temper flared as she replied angrily, "You're a fool, Jin, letting yourself become this…" she gestured to his whole body, "…thing."

The evil form snickered. "And you're just a silly pathetic human that thinks insults have any effect on a shadow. You're weak little girl, and you have all but confirmed that the bond you share by blood with Jin Kazama is as meaningless as I thought. If you want to help your cousin, you need to see past your anger and past your hatred for why I am even here."

Confused and exasperated, Asuka could only reply instinctively, "I don't want to help you. How can I when you're so despicable?!"

Devil Jin's eyes flitted up and down as he looked at her for several long, uncomfortable seconds, sizing her up again, more thoroughly, and making some kind of decision that the teenage girl could only sense as possibly dangerous. He took a small step forward. She took a step back nervously.

"You said you didn't come here to fight," she reminded him.

He took another step, and she backed away again. "I have not attacked you since saying that," he claimed.

"You grabbed my hand. That hurt!"

The winged beast continued advancing. "Your pain in that moment was not my intent. An actual attack from me would hurt much more, I assure you."

Asuka neared the edge of the roof he had threatened to throw her off. She couldn't back away any longer. "Don't come any closer," she warned him. "I will defend myself."

His eyes lit up at the prospect, revealing his sharp teeth in a savage, hungry look as he whispered excitedly, "So will I!" Yes, then he could kill the girl for not heeding the warnings and proving herself worthless to his design.

She looked at the patch of ground awaiting her fall. The prey considered risking a jump and leapt down, landing safely to her relief. It lasted only seconds. Jin of course had leapt down to follow, guided effortlessly by his wings, and now she found herself backed into a wall. Why hadn't she just run? She desperately asked herself this question. The devil's motions had been slow and eerily gentle for a being of his kind, casting doubt in her mind on his actual intent. He placed his left arm to Asuka's right, his palm along the wall, leaning in close to her face, his gold eyes glowing in the darkness as they continually studied her. She had no idea why, but in this moment, he truly _terrified_ her.

As if to answer and continuing his slow and gentle pace, he taunted in a low voice, "I could rip into your throat like a vampire with my fangs." He moved in close to her neck without actually touching it, using one of his metal talonson his left hand to brush up ever so slightly against the bottom of her chin. Asuka struggled between nervous breaths, feeling her heart race. Devil Jin moved his mouth close to her ear. "You know it too. You are learning to fear me," he told her. His voice had softened and did not drip with the same gleeful evil as before. This abject terror appeased him. He shifted back slightly so that he could stare at her face instead, lowering the hand that touched her chin. "Power is everything, and you might have a power that interests me. However, you can't use it if you refuse to cast a light to see the shadow." He pulled away more fully, giving her room to breathe, leaving her unharmed.

Asuka took a deep breath in relief and then gulped. "What's the shadow? You said that word earlier."

Devil Jin sneered. His tone shifted again, this time to a harsh and biting disgust as he retorted, "Do I look like a guide book to you, weakling?" With that, he spread his massive black wings, springing up into the air, and flew away.

The Kazama girl felt sick in her stomach as she slid against the wall to sit, taking deep breaths, holding back bile in her throat. She shook her head. This wasn't like her at all. Then again, she'd be dead if she hadn't played his little game. Asuka needed time to gather her thoughts and compose herself.

Later that evening, Jin calmly sat cross-legged looking intently at the flames in his fireplace, the warmth filling the room. He focused on the realization that something had happened again and beyond a mere occasional sentence passing in his thoughts. The line between himself and Devil had blurred. He shifted so easily from preying on Asuka Kazama's fear while offering guidance in what little help she could provide to him at his intended end. It must have been very confusing for her to see such an opposition behave with such unison and why she already decreed she did not want to help him. Devil found this result of the encounter acceptable. The visit had been far more rewarding than he expected.

Her fear tasted wonderful. Jin could sense she had a fire of her own she carried bravely to all. She had it the moment he appeared on the roof and even when she talked to him in his human form. Only after he had decided to toy with her as a devil did she falter, that fear reaching a fever pitch that paralyzed her…it was truly delicious. Jin closed his eyes momentarily and took a deep breath, feeling his irises lighten to Devil's gold under his eyelids as he exhaled. Upon re-opening them, brown eyes continued examining the fire. No matter how it tasted, he could not forget the real reason he went. He had made his warped plea for help and would guide her from afar to find him in case she changed her mind. She had at least sought him by instinct before and came to that realization herself after all.

[…]

Nina entered Jin's office. "You wanted to see me?"

"Have a seat," he told her.

Nina sensed something amiss. He rarely told her to sit. She chose if she did it based on the length of the meeting because Jin tended to be brief. With slight unease, she complied.

"To say I trust you without any caveats would be false. I can't, and I don't, trust anyone. However, my intentions require that I rely on others nonetheless, especially you, and I do trust you to at least do your job." He paused to look at her to see her reaction.

"Right. That's why you hired me. You made yourself clear, I remember."

Jin nodded. "I'll go into the details shortly, but I think it's time you knew the real end goal before I tell you how I intend to reach it."

"Go on," Nina implored, catching her surprise in her breath.

"I plan to kill Azazel and in turn die as a result."

"Die?" she asked. "Why? Jin, you have the whole world on their knees for you."

Jin smiled, closing his eyes for a moment, probably letting them change color beneath his eyelids. "Yes, that part was a lot of fun," he admitted with a low reverb underlying his words and opened his eyes. A trace of gold faded into the darker brown. The smile fell away as he continued, "But just a stepping stone…I will be free of my devil gene one way or another. I have a contingency plan, but it's not reliable enough. Even if I survived, I'm not sure I could willingly continue living as a human being if an emotion such as remorse came back at full strength. So…assume that's the plan. I kill Azazel and since this body can't survive without his power supporting it any longer, I die too."

Nina knew better than to ask more about his contingency plan. He'd explain it soon. She paused slightly before she responded to ask for reassurance, "That's what you want?"

"That's what I need," Jin replied gravely, meeting her eyes.

The right-hand woman sat quietly for several seconds, masking her feelings. After all, the man sitting in front of her was never really Jin Kazama. They had established that with different words that day in her hotel room and again that night by the fire. He wanted her here and hired her precisely so she would not try and do something like stop him, to ask him to not do it because somebody cared about him, even if he were a twisted dual being. Jin did not want her sympathy, whether she had any for him or not. Not now, not ever. This was her job, and he told her the job was temporary from the start. She would not fail him. "Understood," she finally agreed.


	8. Chapter 14 - Russia

**Chapter 14 - Russia**

In a remote facility in Russia, Dr. Bosconovitch greeted the cold, imposing, dark clad form of his current employer, Jin Kazama. "Welcome, Mr. Kazama. The modifications you requested are complete. If you'll follow me…"

The two walked quietly down a small corridor. These men had always been mere acquaintances and only recently spent more time discussing matters. Dr. B knew something was amiss, but work was work.

"I hear you've declared war on the whole world. Is that true?"

"I declared independence and war on anyone who opposes me. If the whole world has an issue with that, then yes, I suppose I did."

"You certainly have a flair for the dramatic," the scientist remarked.

Their brisk walk ended as they reached the main room storing the item of interest.

Dr. Br pressed some buttons to open a container, revealing a female android inside. The model had a voluminous mass of blue hair tied in a ponytail and closed eyes as if asleep. She wore a long-sleeved black button-shirt, long black gloves, and a blue pin-striped vest that matched her hair. Her legs were covered in black pants with disguised mechanical rockets for black boots.

"She'll respond to your voice signature," Dr. B said as he handed Jin a thick, white manual. "You can find a list of the most basic commands on page 6."

"Melissa, wake up," Jin said as he examined the page.

The robot booted up and looked to her visitors. "Greetings, Father and Master Kazama," she said with a polite bow.

"Father?" Jin asked to Dr. B.

"What can I say? I miss my daughter," the old man admitted sheepishly as he scratched his head nervously. Word of Jin's newfound coldness had spread to the furthest reaches of the world, including here.

The imposing figure in the heavy black coat looked to Melissa and flipped through some pages. "So long as it is not a weakness in her operations," he said without looking at her.

"I have been built precisely to your requests, Master Kazama. Is there a way for me to prove my worth to re-assure you?" Melissa offered.

"Do your job and do it well."

"Certainly, sir. I look forward to my first assignment." She reached into her shirt pocket and put on a pair of dark sunglasses.

"What's this?" Jin asked Dr. B., gesturing to her.

"I look cool, right?" she remarked with a mildly proud smile. They went well with the rest of her attire. That much was true.

"Oh, she, uh, asked for a pair when she saw a photo of you wearing them as well. It would seem that she aims to impress you, sir, beyond just following your orders. I didn't see any harm, so…"

"How amusing. Have you uploaded all the necessary documents as we discussed? All the other arrangements?"

"Yes, but do we really have to destroy this facility, Mr. Kazama? I like my work here."

As if in response, the facility shook and the young CEO's cell phone rang. "Jin, we've got company," a concerned voice of Eddy Gordo said through the line.

"Understood. Stall them." He hung up and looked to his two companions. "Doctor, our enemies will see to the destruction for us. We need to leave. Now."

"Master Kazama, allow me to be of assistance," Melissa offered.

"Only if you can stay out of sight, Melissa."

"Understood."

With that, Melissa's legs and back opened to reveal small rockets gliding her to the exit.

Outside in the snow, Eddy faced a pale-skinned man with a scar going across his mouth. The man, Sergei Dragunov, refused to say anything at all but was clearly an enemy as he continually tried to grab and beat Eddy, putting the Brazilian man on the defensive.

Suddenly, Dragunov ducked to avoid what he could only assume to be two small rockets coming his way, to then be buried with a large upshot of snow. He could hear a whirring sound trail off from the winds.

"What was that?" he heard a perplexed Eddy ask as the enemy soldier worked his way to stand again.

"Just get on," a chilling voice commanded.

Dragunov lifted himself as quickly as he could out of the pile and paused upon seeing the black-coated Jin Kazama standing and staring at him. Devil could sense it from within. _**He is looking for me. **_Jin kept his hands in his pockets as the cold winds passed over him, slightly narrowing his eyes for a moment. Another who dared to seek the power that belonged to him? The Russian man reached for his weapon in his coat pocket and aimed. He was supposed to take the creature alive, and a shot wouldn't kill it but hopefully trigger a transformation. Kazama's lack of movement and gleaming arrogant brown eyes, daring to go ahead and shoot, worried him though. The devil inside the young man eyed the prey hungrily. He would have licked his lips were it not for Jin assuring him the enemy found the current gaze more frightening. A kill here was plausible and excusable. Self-defense. All the other man had to do was fire. Jin would not hesitate then. He might even let Devil do the honors.

Dragunov glanced to the plane and back at Jin. He had placed a bomb on the plane as a contingency plan, yet his best chance was now. They knew the devil could survive bullets but not explosions. They needed him in a transformed state. The Russian soldier fired.

Just as the bullet was about to strike Jin's forehead as one had done two years before, it paused in its path and spun as if the small swirling winds around in front of its path commanded it to halt. Then it fell to the floor of the ramp where Jin stood.

"Oh," Jin said slowly, "it seems your weapon is faulty." The gun started to shake in Dragunov's hands, shifting its aim to its wielder. The winds around them both picked up considerably with a flurry of snow obscuring their bodies.

The Russian man continued to struggle with the weapon in his hands and realized he no longer knew where Jin Kazama stood. Then he felt his back brush up against Devil's chest, and the evil creature had wrapped his mutated arm guard around Dragunov's neck. "Looking for me?" he asked with a wild grin he knew no one could see. He began to squeeze the life out of the soldier all while the gun still violently shook. "I'll teach you the true meaning of fear. How do you want to die, insolent human?"

Dragunov only continued resisting. He could not lose confidence. That was exactly what this monster wanted. He just needed to stall and figure out what to do next. Their reports had said nothing about powers like these. He suspected it was no coincidence that the weather had intensified to give the monster free reign and remain hidden to everyone else. He bent down to use all his weight to hurl the demon off his back, but Devil's grip was too tight. Instead, they both rolled with Dragunov finding himself face down on the ground, having Devil on his back, still strangling him.

"I can fly you fool. I don't release my prey so easily."

The weapon had finally stopped struggling at least. Or so he thought, but the gun slipped away suddenly out of his hands as if someone invisible had picked it up. Again, it aimed at him though surely the devil risked being shot as well…not that it mattered to this beast.

"Now where were we? Oh yes…how to kill you. Your commendable silence tells me I get to pick. On the one hand, choking is more painful and slow. On the other, a shot to the face is more just. Or maybe I could just snap your neck. Should I ask the boy?"

The boy? Who was the boy? The gun had moved in quite close by this point and fired a round that struck the Russian man exactly where he had aimed on Jin moments earlier. _**Divine retribution it is**_**. **The killer released his grip and his transformed state, his attire changing to what it was before. Jin used his foot to roll over the lifeless body and see his victim better. The winds calmed. He stared down at the dead man for a moment. "You brought it on yourself," he told Dragunov. _He is not yours to steal. __**What a rush. We should do that more often.**_

Jin ignored the evil voice and returned to the plane. "Master Kazama, are you alright?" Melissa asked.

Eddy followed with a question of his own as well. "What happened?"

"He tried to kill me, and I defended myself. Let's go," plain, cold words replied from their leader's voice.

Eddy looked uneasily at the body outside. The man could have been unconscious or dead, but he doubted Jin would ever tell. He wondered why Jin surrounded himself with people like himself and Nina as bodyguards when it was clear the young CEO posed a much bigger threat to anyone who attacked him than an attacker would be to him. Perhaps Eddy just answered his own question. He shook off his concerns to focus on his job. "This girl, um…"

"Melissa," she told him.

"Melissa here found a bomb on the plane and disabled it, thought you'd want to know."

"You're correct," Jin agreed.

Eddy looked at their newly acquired companion directly. "Melissa, thanks for whatever it is you did back there. You saved my butt."

"Your butt? Excuse me, but the rest of you is still intact too, sir."

Eddy laughed, feeling his mood lighten. "You're a funny robot girl. Nice sunglasses. Jin has a pair just like them. I'm Eddy, by the way. Nice to meet you too." He left Melissa and Jin to their own devices.

"May I?" asked Melissa, referring to an empty seat next to him.

Jin nodded with indifference.

"Are you alright, Master? Your body is emitting a considerably cold temperature, even for being in this weather. I could have killed that man for you as your protector."

"I needed you out of sight. You and I have a lot to discuss but later."

"As you wish," she conceded.

And so it was later that their flight had ended, they journeyed to headquarters through an underground tunnel, Melissa briefly met Nina, and she went with Jin to a small conference room without windows that was rarely used. "Scan for bugs," he had written on a small sheet of paper. They found two recording devices and disposed of them. They went to two other rooms before finding one that had no bugs and again, no windows.

From the roof of a nearby building, Raven reported to his superiors, "He knows he's being watched. We can't replace the bugs until tomorrow. Whatever he's about to do, it can't be good. I can't see him, and I can't hear him. I'm not even sure what room he's in anymore." Command ordered him to simply wait. Waiting, always waiting while this man ravaged the world with war. Raven was gravely concerned. How long had Kazama known? It couldn't possibly be since the night he saw them both on the roof…could it?


	9. Chapter 15 - Espionage

**Chapter 15 - Espionage**

Detective Lei Wulong surveyed the snowy area and considered the situation. Russia had taken action against the Mishima Zaibatsu in exploding the organization's facility. Mishima, however, had taken out one of Russia's top soldiers in the same breath. Sergei Dragunov died of a gunshot wound to the head from his own gun but no fingerprints could be found. Abrasions on his neck suggested he had been choked by someone too.

"I don't like this one bit," Lei said on his cell phone, speaking with Raven, an operative for another organization wherein they had decided to share information.

"Any feathers?"

"Yeah, we found a few buried in the snow. Couldn't see them at first." Lei stepped in the snow to see the few they'd found and pinned to a small canopy. They both knew what that likely meant.

"Jin Kazama doesn't dirty his own hands often. The devil had yet to attack anyone since Kazama took over the Mishima Zaibatsu. That man must have struck a nerve," Raven observed.

Lei continued their agreed analysis: "There were two shots. We haven't found the other bullet, but as things are, I'm guessing the Russian shot first, and Kazama retaliated."

"Gunshot wounds have triggered it before."

The Hong King detective walked around to follow his imagined situation as he stated, "Right. So Dragunov fires, the devil comes out, kills him, and Jin Kazama leaves. If you're right that he can create illusions, it wouldn't be hard to hide since there couldn't be many witnesses to begin with."

"Assuming he even wants to hide. Does the Russian government know…about the devil gene? That makes a big difference on Dragunov's intent. He might have been trying to activate it on purpose. Ill-advised on his part."

"I'll have to do some digging on that one," Lei admitted.

"I've got more bad news," Raven confessed. "He knows he's being watched. Come to think of it, he must have known for awhile. I don't know how long. He's planning something, Lei, something big. He waited until the absolute last moment he could reveal he knew and then blocked out my access."

"He's playing us all like some kind of chess game. This devil is smart. He knew the facility would be targeted and wiped out the data, so others couldn't find out what was here. I never pictured Jin Kazama as the type to be some kind of criminal mastermind."

"Heihachi Mishima undoubtedly influenced him beyond just training. He's reserved and focused. His behavior fits the type; the devil gene just enhances traits he already has and points them in a bad direction."

"That's really what you think it does?" Lei asked.

Raven paused in thought before continuing, "That's the current theory, yes. He recently met with Nina in his office, longer than usual, looked serious. I'm sure these incidents are related. I need to find out whatever this big, secret plan is. It can't be good. He took special precautions here he normally doesn't." What could be worse than the war the young man already started? Would they finally find out if it had a bigger purpose?

"Good luck on that. I'll contact you if I learn anything from the Russian government."

"Over and out."

While Lei and Raven pondered over the events in Russia, Jin laid out his objectives for Melissa: work for G Corp undercover and keep an eye on Asuka in Osaka. Indeed, no one from G Corp had reached out to Asuka yet, but with the increasing public support against the Mishima Zaibatsu, the rival company began to take advantage of those clamoring to join the fight against the Destroyer of Worlds, as some had come to call Jin, a title which Devil relished. Not only did G Corp take the help offered so generously, Kazuya grew confident in having his operations seek out Asuka because of what they had learned about her participation in the previous tournament. She could be an asset or a threat, and he could manipulate and react as necessary if he guided her to his side. Upon learning that the Osaka branch hired a data analyst who needed a new residence and that one had been available near Asuka for two months, he seized the opportunity. In Kazuya's mind, he pictured Jin to have all but forgotten his connection to the Kazama bloodline. The young CEO clearly focused on something unseen and far away. Jin had arranged for the family that once lived there to move out though all things considered, it wasn't necessary. Devil agreeing to the visit that night enhanced the assumption already made by the elder Mishima.

Sometime after all the arrangements had been made by warring father and son, Asuka Kazama walked across the street to greet the disguised Melissa, using an alternate name of Alisa Baker, moving into the house there with her father. They introduced themselves to each other and began to chat.

"Where are you from? America?" Asuka asked.

"Yes. Maine in the United States, to be precise."

"Oh. Why are you in Japan?"

"Work."

"Work? You're not in high school?" Asuka asked in shock. Alisa looked so young, like a little doll. She was a bit short for an American girl.

"No, I recently graduated college though I did take some accelerated courses."

"What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a data analyst."

"Oh." That sounded boring, which was indeed the point.

"I've told you about me, Miss Kazama. What about you?"

"There's not much to tell. I've lived in Osaka all my life and go to high school. I live with my father, like you, and help out at his dojo. Well, my cousin's an evil tyrant, you may have heard, but I'm not like him. I'll teach him a lesson first chance I get." She'd be better prepared to confront that devil head-on, she had decided though the shadow riddle still eluded her.

"You're related to Jin Kazama?" Alisa asked with innocent curiosity.

"It wasn't my idea," the Japanese girl remarked bitterly. "Anyway…if you're a data analyst, I assume you don't study martial arts."

"I've taken a few self-defense courses and read about some martial arts, but I don't actively practice any, no."

"Well, come over sometime, and you can watch a class, not just read about it, but see it in action."

"I would be honored."

During the next month, Asuka and Alisa became friendly acquaintances. Alisa had explained her work required strict confidentiality, so she couldn't really discuss it and would try to find other common ground, such as TV shows or books. Alisa read a lot and very quickly too. Eventually, Asuka opened up about her participation in the King of Iron Fist Tournament 5 though she left out the part where she was found in a pile of rubble and her devil cousin coming to visit her one night. Alisa spoke rather formally and came off a bit cold for it, but then, that's how she was taught when studying Japanese. She had a quirk where she loved wearing dark sunglasses all the time, even inside or even at night because she thought she looked cool with them. Asuka found it amusing. Something didn't seem right, but Alisa acted as a kind listener at least

One day as the two sat on the steps to Alisa's residence, a limo pulled up, and the window rolled down to reveal blonde girl with long, straight hair and a generally snotty air. She exited the vehicle, and her light blue eyes looked over Asuka and the darker-blue-haired person with her. She chose to ignore Alisa. "We meet again, Asuka Kazama. I won't lose to you this time!" she pointed emphatically.

"Lili?! What are you doing here?"

"Haven't you heard?" Lili asked, holding her arms akimbo.

Asuka looked to Alisa with an incredulous expression.

Lili tapped her foot. "Don't you watch the news? The tournament!"

"Tournament?" Asuka asked. Of course there could only be one tournament Lili meant, but the young Japanese girl still wondered.

"Let's go inside and see what she means," Alisa offered. "It's a mess, but if you want to watch the news, there's no better place. I have a very large TV. Come on in. I'll get you both some tea."

The other two girls followed, and Alisa's living room had a wall of TV monitors along with a number of computer towers with wires strewn every which way imaginable.

"What's all this?" Asuka asked aloud.

"That's for work. Ignore those."

Asuka looked to Lili, not grasping why a data analyst needed so many monitors. Lili shrugged innocently. Their host found a remote, pushed a button, and a very large TV monitor descended from an open slot on the wall opposite to the mass of monitors. Alisa sure was high-tech.

The anchorman relayed to his audience, "G Corporation has declared a massive bounty on the head of Mishima leader Jin Kazama. Only an hour later, the Mishima Zaibatsu seems to have replied with an announcement for the King of Iron Fist Tournament 6."

Asuka's eyes widened and she let out a subtle gasp. So it was that tournament. This would be her chance to confront Jin again. Lili began to talk. "You had better be there Asuka. I will not lose. I'll give you a practice match if you like."

"I'll beat your snotty butt anytime anywhere," Asuka snapped.

Alisa had already used the remote to put the giant monitor away. "I must request that the two of you not fight here, of course."

Both girls sheepishly rubbed the back of their heads. "Of course," they said at the same time and glared at each other for doing so.

"You must be excited, Miss Asuka. It would seem your tyrant cousin has extended an invitation for the lesson you want to teach him."

"I'll be the one to teach Jin Kazama a lesson right after I beat Asuka again!" Lili declared. "Then I shall have vengeance for my father and take back his oil field."

"He took that too, huh?" Asuka remarked. She placed her hand under her chin, becoming contemplative. "Well…we'd better start training and prepare for the trip."


	10. Chapter 16 - Belief

**Chapter 16 - Belief**

Jin stood in his office, leaning against his desk as he watched blurry black and white footage of a familiar face shout to him, "See this, Jin Kazama!" He referred to a small group of rebels he led to destroy one of the Mishima Zaibatsu's properties. "I hope I have your attention. There's more where this came from. You and I still have a score to settle. I know what you are, and I'll be waiting…for the real you. And even if you keep ignoring me, I'll be at your tournament. I'll be ready this time."

Upon the last sentence, Jin's body shook with a suppressed, amused laugh. The young CEO drank some cold ice water and wiped his mouth. Devil manifested as an apparition in the office and stared at the screen, reaching out as if he could touch it even though he couldn't. "He means me, I expect. What a nice invitation…" The evil creature spoke with longing in his voice and looked back to his host.

Jin nodded in agreement. He walked over to his seat and sat down, staring at the ice. "G Corporation is supplying his little group. I already announced the tournament, but it seems that guy can't wait. It's all a ploy by them both just to get my attention."

"Will you oblige?" Devil asked as he walked over to the side of Jin's seat. "I can kill him for you this time. He's disrupting your prized human power after all."

The young CEO leaned back lazily in his seat, speaking with mild disinterest. "He and many others. That's not a good enough reason. What makes him so special?"

The winged demon guided Jin's seat to face him directly as he grabbed the arm rests and leaned inward. "Because I want to finish what I started and because he invited me. He said it himself. He knows what I am."

Jin reflected on Devil's request, appraising the value of the Korean's life, trying to determine if it fit anywhere in his overall scheme. His eyes darted up, scanning the ceiling during his contemplation before he looked back again at his evil counterpart. "I'd rather you not kill him," he remarked lazily. It was a minor preference. "Besides, it's a trap."

"Like a trap could stop us," the demon gloated. Jin smiled wryly at that. "So I don't kill him," Devil conceded, his own scheme at work. "You at least want to play with him, don't you?"

The young CEO's index finger stroked his chin. "Not on the scale you are thinking, but if a plan fits well enough…"

"I'll leave you to it then. Travel has been quite fruitful as of late after all," a familiar, satisfied sneer said as it faded.

[…]

Jin materialized in front of a dojo where Baek and Hwoarang had set up their temporary home in Japan since long before the tournament's announcement. He suspected it to more likely act as a base of operations for their rebel group though the rest of them were busy elsewhere.

He knocked on the door, and a man with long gray hair in a ponytail answered.

"Is Hwoarang here?" Jin asked.

"You!" Baek clenched his fist at his side, seething. Before he knew it, the punch was on its way, but Jin caught it and nearly crushed his hand.

"He asked for my attention, and now he has it," draw, careful, firm words told him. "Is he here?" The young man let go with a force that shoved Baek back a few feet and continued standing with a look of condescension on his face.

Hwoarang had incidentally chosen this time to enter the room as he was curious who the visitor could be, and it was the last person he expected despite his invitation. "You! Hey, what are you doing to my master?"

Jin looked at the scene and smirked. He had only defended himself, but their anger and contempt was far too delicious.

"No, Hwoarang, it's just….he's here to see you. I lost myself in the moment."

"Me? Finally get through to you, did I Kazama?"

The young CEO's smile faded as he replied, "I assume you have a place where you and I can…continue this meeting alone."

"Right this way, Your Arrogance," Hwoarang mocked as he gestured a polite movement of his arms where Jin should go.

"What a nice title, very fitting," Jin remarked as he followed.

"Oh looks like you got a sense of humor since last time. That thing…uh…" Hwoarang checked to see if they were out of earshot. They weren't, so he missed the chance as they kept walking. They found a room where they could spar or talk as desired. Jin removed his coat.

"I already know I can beat you," Hwoarang said, taunting Jin with his index finger. "You know what I'm after."

"Then you'll have no problem doing it again," Jin said as he rolled up his sleeves.

Hwoarang snickered, having a hard time to keep a front of just how excited and downright happy he was to see this rival that hosted a monster underneath. They began to spar. "You took that loss pretty hard," he taunted as he threw some kicks Jin blocked.

"I had a lot on my mind," Jin replied with a smile as he stepped to the side and uppercut the Korean, followed by a few blows of his own.

Hwoarang stood up immediately. They were still just playing at this point. "And now you don't, what 'cause ruling the world is a cake walk compared to me?" More kicks and more evasion.

"Sadly, you don't know how true those words are. Then again, you are a giant pain."

Hwoarang snickered. The moment had come, and they both knew it. The blows became faster and stronger as the fight intensified to the next level. It was not long before Hwoarang was clearly defeated. Out of breath, he said, "So, are you still that thing just disguised as him now? I mean, what's with this war Kazama? Is this the world you really want?" He remained sitting on the floor, and Jin joined him, handing him a bottle of water.

The Japanese rival looked thoughtful. "If I told you a war was needed for saving the world, would you believe me?"

"Not after seeing you become a devil, hell no," a firm response followed.

"Indeed. What you say makes perfect sense," Jin admitted. "I'm still 'that thing' as you liked to call it. Bet he likes that."

"He? Is he controlling you or something? You speak like you and him are different, knowing exactly what he is, yet the way you act…what you do…"

"You have already drawn your own conclusion. I am an evil devil, I'm thoroughly enjoying myself, and I just kicked your ass a second time. I took some of Jin Kazama's characteristics, so that's why I look human, copy his behavior, use his name to my benefit, and am letting you live. Again."

"Alright, alright, I'll humor you for this little game. That's what _I_ believe. What do _you_ believe? You can't possibly think destroying the world is what will save it."

Jin snickered. "Such words speak as if I invented war, as if humanity had no contribution to the ills in their lives without me. As if it starts and ends with me." _**As if they didn't ask for it with their incessant noise. **_"It's amusing to be called the Destroyer of Worlds as a result."

"Only because it fits. Maybe we had problems before but…not like this… Kazama, you are destroying a lot of places," the Korean spoke in a serious voice to draw his concern in a way that Jin could understand.

The attempt backfired as the young CEO couldn't help himself and smiled proudly, gazing upward, half-closing his eyes. "Yes…"

Hwoarang gulped nervously. Was that…was that the devil?

The human form sitting next to the orange-haired Korean slowly turned his head upon sensing the slight uptick of fear in his rival. It tasted like a dying fire, clawing at the air. Jin looked Hwoarang straight in the eyes as his own flashed to Devil's piercing gold, leaning in close to the other young man's face. The evil creature smiled wickedly, enough to reveal his fangs. "The boy hopes to be rid of me."

"You! You're-" Hwoarang started to back away.

Devil released a low, pleased hiss at the dying fire's heightened desperation. The flash faded and Jin drank some water, satisfied. They both got what they came for, and he need not intrude on this acquaintance of his past life any longer. "I don't expect you to understand or believe me. It doesn't matter in the end." He stood, grabbed his coat, and started to put it on. "The whole world, especially Kazuya Mishima, is out for my head. Are you going to tell him about this visit?"

"What-what are you talking about?"

Jin released a short, amused laugh. "Play ignorant then. In any case, I am too busy with my hostile take-over to stay." He tossed his empty water bottle to Hwoarang. "See you later loser. Try not to get yourself killed by that waste of space who gave me this curse."

Before Hwoarang knew it, the dark clad Jin Kazama had practically disappeared with the wind. His heart sank, and he felt empty. For just a few minutes, he and Jin spoke with each other, almost as friends. No, he couldn't be friends with a self-admitted monster like that, even if that thing did have a sense of humor, unlike the ever and always serious Jin Kazama. His reach could only extend enough for this meeting but not enough to bring the Japanese youth back from the clutches of the devil using his body. Only a shadow of the rival Hwoarang once knew remained inside.


	11. Chapter 17 - Banquet

**Chapter 17 - Banquet**

Asuka Kazama collapsed onto her hotel bed, arms outstretched, thinking about the looming tournament. The opening ceremony was the next evening, and the real matches started the day after that. She, and many others, would actually see Jin Kazama at the ceremony though presumably security would be tight and ready for the countless people wanting to have their go at him. No doubt his devil half welcomed the attempts. The evil beast never returned after that one night though sometimes Asuka would go up on the roof of her father's dojo, just in case.

"Cast a light to see the shadow," she muttered. "It must be Jin or Devil but which one? And how do I do that?" She sat back up and walked over to the window. Out below of the Seahorse Hotel was a beautiful fountain and circular area where alternating red and blue lights shot upward. It made for a pretty sight. Then she noticed a familiar figure with a voluminous blue ponytail standing alone by the fountain. "Alisa?"

She headed down, intrigued and when she arrived, she saw someone else already confronting the blue-haired neighbor. A black man dressed in all black with dyed blonde hair paced, facing the composed Alisa. "What happened to Doctor Boskonivitch?" he asked her.

"My father is well, thank you for asking," the girl replied simply.

Boskonovitch? Wasn't Alisa's last name Baker?

Raven continued pacing, frustrated. "His daughter is dead, so why do you call him that? Who are you?"

"You're not authorized for that information," Alisa told him. "Additionally, you have not told me who you are."

"Raven is all you need to know. If you will not cooperate, you leave me no choice," he said and poised as if to attack. Asuka's eyes widened, especially as she realized that Alisa was unfazed by the other man.

The smaller girl rested her fist casually against her hip. "Do we really have to do this?"

Raven lunged toward her, and Alisa blocked a few blows before leaping up, aided by a small rocket in her leg to bring her foot down on him. She rammed her fist into the ground and still another rocket-powered leg kicked him back again.

Asuka watched in quiet shock. Alisa was a robot? How? Why? It definitely explained why something felt off in the other girl's presence. She had retractable chainsaw arm attachments and could shoot her hands as rockets. Sometimes she'd even take a moment to taunt the man by sitting mid-air with her back rockets and a small giggle.

Finally, the young Japanese girl had enough of this display. "Alisa, what is all this?" she shouted.

Both fighters paused, and Raven flipped back some to create distance. "Is that what he's after?" he asked Alisa, nodding in Asuka's direction.

"Like I said, you are not authorized for that information, Mister Raven."

"This isn't over, robot girl," he remarked before disappearing, feeling that the meeting gave him enough intel for the time being. If Jin wanted Asuka, it wouldn't be hard to track her.

"Bye-bye ninja man," Alisa quietly called after him. She looked over to Asuka. "Master Jin will not be pleased. No one suspected he was interested in you until now. I blew my cover sooner than he would have liked too. This complicates things."

"You're blaming me for this? You've got a lot of explaining to do! Is Alisa even your name?"

The robot dusted off her pants with indifference to the accusatory tone. "It's Melissa. They sound similar but are different enough that text mining the Mishima Zaibatsu's logs won't give me away so easily. Secrets are hard to keep in this information age."

"Well, Melissa, explain yourself," Asuka pointed defiantly.

The other girl stared at Asuka for a moment with a pleasant, small smile. "I'm going upstairs to my room. If you wish to join me for a cup of tea, perhaps we can talk there."

Asuka gave the robot some biting words before consenting though the meeting proved less fruitful than she hoped. Melissa refused to provide much more than already revealed. She was a robot sent by the Mishima Zaibatsu to keep an eye on Asuka. Pressed for why, the blue-haired girl insisted Jin already made that known in the past. The monitors in her house in Osaka were for a separate mission that she refused to comment on that night.

"Is there _anything_ you can tell me?" Asuka asked in exasperation.

"I understand your refusal to regard me as an ally Miss Asuka, but I am not your enemy. Remember that Jin Kazama is your objective, and I can provide you a link to him at some point later this tournament. My role is to your advantage, just as much as it is his."

[…]

Jin Kazama examined himself in a full-length mirror, wearing an elaborate white outfit with red trim, adorned with a gold chain connecting to the mane of a silver lion. Similarly, the beast's head existed at the top front of his white boots.

"You look like a walking door-knocker," Devil said, squatting as an apparition nearby. "So much white isn't like you either." He stood fully and leaned closer to Jin's ear. "Feeling nostalgic for when you were a worthless and failed hero?"

The young man subtly darted his eyes to the creature, faint traces of a smirk on his face as he walked over to his made bed to pick up a pair of white gloves. "It's just for ceremony," he remarked as he put them on. "The opening banquet is tonight, and the tournament matches start tomorrow."

"Someone's going to slip and try fighting you there," the creature stated.

"Probably," Jin agreed, still focused on his gloves.

Devil smiled. "And they will suffer for it."

The young man bowed his head, his fingertips on his forehead as if in pain. Devil watched carefully without a word. The moment faded, and Jin looked to the creature, trying to suppress a matching sadistic smile. "I promise nothing, to either of us. Enjoy the evening, wretch. The air will be thick with hatred bearing down on me. With or without a fight, it will be a feast."

[…]

Nina hummed a small tune as she put lipstick on her face when suddenly who but Anna came crashing through, kicking both her legs into the mirror. Several clashes and clangs later, Nina left still in a good mood, pleased with her graffiti scrawls of lipstick on Anna's face. She'd have to make arrangements to have the place cleaned up soon. She walked up to Eddy, who was one among many standing guard, watching the room. "Status report?"

"He'll be here any minute. There's no shortage of people who want to either kill him or give him a beating or restrain him in some fashion. We've got our work cut out for us tonight. I take it you took care of your sister already."

Nina snickered. "Yeah. She'll be able to move, but fighting more tonight is another story."

"Kazuya Mishima's here."

"The kind of trouble he'll cause is a lot more subtle in this environment. He won't attack Jin directly here. This is reconnaissance for his organization. He's making his way over to Asuka and Melissa now."

Melissa stood next to Asuka examining the room. The young Kazama girl had not exactly forgiven her robot companion, but she knew the argument for being able to reach Jin through her somehow was true. She'd have to stay on her guard, of course. Kazuya Mishima approached them and stared down at Asuka. He shifted his eyes over to Melissa. Though Raven's organization did not view Kazuya as an ally, they assumed him knowing about the robot girl worked to their advantage and so made sure the information worked its way to the leader of Jin Kazama's strongest opposition. Melissa had recently provided G with the data about Egypt, so this news put a wrench into their plans. The data was perfectly valid, but they could not know that and only suspect it in turn. "So you're Jin's little doll," he remarked.

Melissa smiled coolly. "Is that what you call G Corporation's Jack-6 units? Dolls?"

His face tightened for a moment in irritation. "Before this tournament is over, you will be nothing but a pile of scrap metal as punishment for your treachery."

"Melissa, what's he talking about? Who is this?" Asuka asked, looking up at him while she spoke.

"Asuka Kazama, meet Kazuya Mishima, father to Jin Kazama and leader of G Corporation: my employer in Osaka."

"What?!" There were too many surprises to count in that statement.

Kazuya shifted his gaze back to Asuka. "You're better off without her. Join me. I am Jin's strongest opposition. He must be stopped at all costs but falling prey to his deceitful messenger is a fool's errand. Take some time to think about it, girl, preferably away from the devil's agent." He walked away.

Lili soon came up to the other two. "What was that about?"

Asuka looked down bitterly. She snapped at Lili all the time, but she wouldn't do it over this when for once, the snotty brat wasn't at fault. Melissa repeated her introduction from earlier while omitting her employment.

"Mishima this, Mishima that. How annoying. Jin Kazama is the worst though," the blonde decided. "Speak of the devil…" her eyes looked upwards to see the malevolent tyrant descend several steps before he was flanked by his Secret Service bodyguards as he entered an elevated area for his own table and select group. "He's still a villain, but that's a good look for him. Doesn't he usually wear black?"

Asuka gulped nervously upon seeing him again. The devil wouldn't come out an event like this, would he? Could he with Jin dressed the way he was? His largely white attire surprised her too. He looked more stiff than usual. Her cousin scanned the room and met her eyes briefly. There was no sneer and no smirk. He passed over her like she was nothing. Everyone had grown silent on his entrance, a multitude of hatred, anticipation, and tension thick in the air. Jin stood at a podium behind his main table and began to speak. "Welcome to the opening ceremony to the King of Iron Fist Tournament 6, where we meet and gather for our own reasons. I know some of you are here to determine who is strongest; some of you are here to stop me for my actions; some of you are here for money and power promised to you at the end; and some of you are just hungry for a fight. The matches commence tomorrow. If you are truly worthy of an audience, you will work your way to me to claim your prize. That is all. Take your seats."

Melissa nodded politely to the other two. "Enjoy the feast, courtesy of the Mishima Zaibatsu."

"Wait, where are you going? What do you mean?" Lili asked, but Melissa did not reply, and the blonde girl saw her take a place at Jin Kazama's table.

"Asuka, what's going on? This doesn't make any sense. Alisa…"

"Her name's not Alisa. It's Melissa. She's a spy."

"A spy? Then why were you…?"

"It's complicated, and I don't feel like talking about it. Let's go find our seats."

Asuka and Lili found they were assigned to a table with people they did not know, slightly older than the two of them. A young Chinese girl fluent in Japanese named Ling Xiaoyu, a Korean giving only the name Hwoarang, and a darker skinned Brazilian woman named Christie whose eyes studied the black man sitting next to Jin at the young CEO's table.

"Do you know that guy?" Asuka asked.

"I thought I did," she said, clearly upset.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…" She knew coming here would be a challenge but what an awful past two days.

"That's Eddy," Xiaoyu explained in a matter-of-fact tone. "Jin hired him not long after the last tournament."

Christie took an interest suddenly in the young Chinese girl. "Do you know why?"

"No, I never asked him, sorry."

"How do you know that much then? It's more than the rest of us," Hwoarang said.

"I live here, but I don't really know much more," the pig-tailed girl admitted. "This is the first time I've even been in the same room with Jin in almost three years."

"You _live_ here?" Asuka asked.

"Well, not in the banquet hall of course. The Mishima Zaibatsu is my home."

"Did you know Jin before he went crazy?" Lili asked.

Everyone paused to look at Lili and then at Xiaoyu. The young Chinese girl furrowed her brow, looking down. "It's not the word I'd use, but I knew him back when we went to school together, before the King of Iron Fist Tournament 3, before he…changed."

"I did too," Hwoarang added

Asuka suspected their seating to be purposely designed for her to meet these two though Christie didn't seem to know Jin at all. "What…what was he like back then?" she couldn't help asking

Xiaoyu smiled sheepishly. "The strong, silent type."

"Aloof," Hworang said, leaning back in his chair, glancing over to Jin's table. "I guess he still is."

Asuka thought back to that night on the roof when he just sat quietly with her, soaking in the scenery. Was that…was that the real Jin?

As the evening wore on, some retired for the evening, satisfied with their appearance or delaying a confrontation until later. Christie left after finding a chance to speak with Eddy, wiping a tear down her face. She learned of his goal but seeing him ensnared by the deal he made troubled her. Asuka, Hwoarang, Xiaoyu, and Lili remained at their table until only two others at a separate table remained: a dark-haired woman named Zafina and a much taller, larger dark-haired man named Miguel.

Miguel brooded as he drank throughout the evening, staring at his wine glass and again at Jin. It was another formal occasion with another wine glass where the young tyrant's chaos took his newlywed sister in a blazing fire. Zafina studied the room carefully, taking note that despite Kazuya Mishima's earlier presence, the two evil stars decided to wait. The delay intrigued her, and she hoped she might be able to speak with Jin before the night ended.


	12. Chapter 18 - Miguel

**Chapter 18 - Miguel**

Miguel wiped his mouth and stood. Zafina watched carefully, uncertain if she should warn him of the three protectors closest to Jin Kazama. The blue-haired one concerned her most because she could sense the girl was not human and thus very difficult to gauge in strength. She could probably distract at least one of them for her new acquaintance. She glanced over to the other table. Maybe people from there would help. By now, however, the tall Spaniard was nearly to Jin's table.

Two men in the young CEO's Secret Service tried to stop Miguel's path, and he threw them aside, continuing onward. He stopped short of the table where the three bodyguards sitting beside Jin remained for the time being. _**This one is seething with hatred for you. He's one of the voices we hear. **_"You!" Miguel pointed an accusatory finger. "My sister…my comrades…my life has become hell because of you. Do you have anything to say for all your sins? For what you've done!"

Jin Kazama looked up from his seat, maintaining his calm posture with his elbows on the table, gloved hands interweaved, and resting his chin on them. His eyes flickered to their lighter gold. "You asked for a man's death, and your wish was granted."

Miguel's eyes widened in shock at the brief change in eye color and the words. He took a step back. At first, he wanted to ask what Jin meant, yet he recalled his anger upon learning his sister was to be married. He indeed made such a wish upon the thought of the husband-to-be, taking her away, but he eventually accepted their engagement. "You…you lie." He didn't know how Jin could know about that. It was not as if he truly meant it or wished the same on all the others. The man in regal white snickered. Further angered, Miguel asked, "And the rest? My sister?!"

Jin stared blankly at the man confronting him for a moment. "Eddy, Nina, clear the hall," he ordered without looking at them. "This ceremony is over. Melissa, you are dismissed. Leave this man be."

The trio of elite bodyguards followed their commands, Nina glancing to Jin briefly. He only stared ahead at the Spaniard. Eddy looked to Miguel with apprehension, unsure if the man's life was in danger.

Melissa approached Asuka's table. "Miss Asuka, we must be on our way. I must also advise the rest of you to leave."

Though met with some resistance, the blue-haired robot eventually reasoned the others to leave upon pointing out it was quite simply the end of the party. The host was closing his doors, and as guests, they were obligated to comply with that wish. When pressed by Asuka if Miguel were truly safe being left behind, Melissa only advised to leave that between those two men. It was clear that was what they both wanted. A threat of being forced out was understood, even if not spoken aloud.

Soon Miguel stood alone facing the sitting Jin Kazama. The young CEO had at least unfolded his hands, removed his elbows from the table, and ran a finger lightly on the bottom of his wine glass. "Your dark desires are not the only ones I have heard," he said. He looked up from the glass and looked directly at the one regarding him as an enemy. "The world asked for the hell I have given it."

"You expect me to believe that?" Miguel asked in disbelief at such arrogant words.

Jin snickered again. "I don't care what you believe. This interrogation does not fool me. No answer I give could ever suffice for the burning rage in your heart. It's a pain I know very well. Go ahead. Forfeit your life and attack me. I'm still hungry."

"I don't know what game you're playing Jin Kazama, but your life is the one that ends tonight," the Spaniard replied fiercely. Miguel lifted the table between them and threw it aside.

A dark aura swirled the young Japanese man from bottom to top and in his place stood his devil form.

"A diablo…" Miguel gasped in shock.

"Yes, that's a good expression," the evil creature's gold eyes glimmered with satisfaction. "Fall deeper within your fears!" He eyed the other man keenly, waiting for him to dare strike forth.

The Spaniard muttered a profanity and went in for the attack. Whether Jin Kazama was a demon or not, he would have his vengeance. He struck the monster a few times but upon a successful block, Devil Jin dashed in quickly to uppercut the large opponent, followed by several blows before grabbing Miguel by the throat and ramming him into one of the tables, which broke on impact. The dirty dishes on it fell with a shatter and clangs. Miguel moved clear as quickly as he could muster and punched the winged beast several times before kicking him into yet another table, shattering that one as well. Devil lifted himself in the air to grab the Spaniard and tossed him into another table. Within a few more blows, Miguel lay on his back against the debris of one of the fallen tables, broken and exhausted, unable to stand. He could hear the threatening footsteps of the beast walk near.

Devil outstretched his right forearm, and the numerous shattered pieces of dishes and wood lifted into the air, and he swept them aside into another pile. He situated himself above the larger body and tore at the white shirt his victim wore with his claws, exposing a bare muscular shoulder. He hissed, bearing his fangs before he bent down and bit it. The larger man screamed. "You are filled with rage and hatred and fear and now agony too," the evil creature said. His lips pursed together to suck in a small bit of blood, staining his teeth and lips with the crimson color. His eyes lit up with evil glee. "Delicious."

"Stop!" Miguel pleaded. "You monster…stop…"

"Beg for mercy!" Devil commanded with a growl.

"Please…please…I beg you demon, stop it…mercy…"

The creature sat up straight and licked his lips, cleaning the blood on them. He wiped his mouth with his mutated arm guard. "And what will you give me in return for your life?"

"I don't know…just…let me be…"

Devil narrowed his eyes, annoyed, and ripped the left side of the shirt to bite that shoulder too.

Miguel screamed again. "What do you want from me? What can I possibly give you, demon?"

Gold eyes shifted up from Miguel to scan the area, as if he heard something, out of range to Miguel's struggling senses. Devil glanced back down at his quarry. "We shall continue this discussion later. You're a bit useless like this anyway." A flurry of black feathers surrounded the creature, and he disappeared in an instant.

"Miguel!" Zafina ran over to him. "What happened? You're bleeding." She touched his shoulders, and Miguel felt the pain ease. He noticed the dark-haired woman was not alone.

"Who's this?" he asked as he sat up.

"Raven," the man with her replied, analyzing the room, noticing a couple of scattered black feathers. "Where's the devil?"

Miguel stared back in shock for a few seconds. "Devil?"

The agent squatted and picked up a nearby black feather. "The one with these. Judging by the room, you fought him…" He paused for a few seconds. "…and lived. Guess he doesn't kill all his victims."

Recognizing there was no point in denying it, that these two knew plenty more about the monster than he did, Miguel shook his head and said simply, "I don't know."

Raven and Zafina met each other's eyes. "He was here only seconds ago. I know he was. I sensed him," Zafina said. "How did we not see him leave?"

"He just…disappeared," Miguel spoke as if in some kind of trance.

"Disappeared?" Raven started to pace the room as if he could find the creature lurking under the debris. Perhaps he was invisible.

"What did he do to you?" Zafina asked urgently. This was more than a physical beating. Miguel seemed somehow broken from inside.

"I'm not sure…" the Spaniard trailed off. "He's not here," he called out to Raven.

"How would you know?"

"I just…do." The fight did something to him. He felt connected with the creature. He stared at his right healed shoulder. Was it the blood? Yes, that and Devil's cruel, cold mercy…Miguel would have this link until his death, he knew it by instinct.

"Interesting but not a good enough answer. I should still do a full sweep of the area."

"Miguel…" Zafina began, sensing the shift in his thoughts even if she could not read them directly. The rage she initially sensed in his heart felt replaced by trepidation, anxiety. "What will you do now?"

"I need to rest," he stood fully and left the room.

"Area's clear," Raven told her. He concluded to himself Jin must have teleported. Capturing him would be that much harder, nearly impossible. "Next move?"

"I'll look after Miguel and enter the tournament. The evil star did something to him that goes beyond his physical injuries. You?"

"I'm entering too. In the meantime, I'm staying on Asuka and the robot. He went through a lot of trouble to put those two together for some reason. Melissa won't tell me, but they can't leave the other girl in the dark forever."


	13. Chapter 19 - Intrigue

**Chapter 19 – Intrigue**

"Are you ready?" Asuka asked Xiaoyu.

"Ready," Xiaoyu prepared her stance.

It was the first day of the King of Iron Fist Tournament 6, and the two girls discussing Jin Kazama the night before now faced each other. Quick on her feet, Xiaoyu evaded Asuka well. "You know some of my moves," Asuka noted.

"Jin and I trained together in the past before he changed his style. It wasn't all Mishima."

Eventually, though not easily, Asuka won. She stretched out her arm to help Xiaoyu up after being declared the winner. "Not all Mishima?" she picked up their conversation. The two had started to focus more intently on their match earlier.

"Yes. He knew some moves from his mother. I suppose that's the style you practice."

"Yeah," Asuka agreed. "It sounds like the two of you were close. I know you said he was the strong, silent type, but was he ever….I don't know…not evil?"

Xiaoyu bowed her head and released a short, nervous laugh. "He's not evil now."

"Uh…"

"I know what you're thinking Asuka Kazama. It's the same thing everyone thinks, but I knew Jin. His family and his blood betrayed him."

"Wait, what are you talking about? Family…" That had to mean the Mishima side. As for blood, Jin made it sound like that was important too but in the fact that theirs was connected on the Kazama side.

"It's their curse. His curse. It's like he's sick."

"But this curse…makes him evil…" Asuka nudged.

Xiaoyu wiped a tear from her eye. "I won't give up on him. He was gentle. On the day we met, he had this quiet surprise in his face when I called him my friend. We talked, we trained, and we studied together back then. Asuka, the whole world is against my friend, with good reason, but he's still my friend. It may be buried under whatever this curse has done to his mind, but I have to believe in him. If I don't…who will?"

Asuka swallowed, considering the question at hand, thinking back to the night Jin came to see her in both his forms. She could not put that kind of faith into this stranger, even if they were connected by blood. But…if any of what Xiaoyu said was true, it had to mean the shadow in the riddle was Jin. Perhaps the light was not a literal power but a figurative one. She needed to see the Jin Kazama Xiaoyu described. It was still hard to fathom any such person could exist under that demonic exterior. He said it himself that it was too late…well, in devil form. She looked down. "I don't know," she replied, "but I won't tell you he's not there when I'm not really sure."

The two shifted conversation into lighter matters before parting ways.

[…]

Miguel approached his opponent, cracking his knuckles and neck before they began. The other man, Bryan Fury, wore a hungry look reminiscent of the devil he fought the night before. He could not be sure if it was the creature's or Zafina's touch or just the much-needed rest, but he felt refreshed and ready. It was hard to really say why he still entered this tournament after his confrontation with Jin Kazama. His rage and hatred for the young tyrant felt hollow, yet he could not just up and leave.

Bryan was no push-over and evidently a cyborg. Still, Miguel packed a powerful punch and in the end stood victorious. He rubbed his right shoulder when done, feeling restless and scanned the vicinity, realizing he walked to a nearby cemetery. Up in a tree, he could see the silhouette of Devil Jin perched, waiting for him.

"It's you," the Spaniard said, not at all startled.

"You recovered quickly," the beast observed.

"Oh," Miguel looked again to his shoulder. "Zafina helped me out after you left. What did you do to me? She sensed it, and I feel some weird link between us."

"Zafina? Interesting. She has spiritual powers. Your life belongs to me now. I was not lying when I told you it was forfeit if you attacked. If you do not wish to die, you obey."

"That's not much of a life," Miguel replied. Apprently, it didn't stop him from arguing with the demon. "Plus, you made it sound like I could give you something else."

"Do you have another human life to give? Or something on par with that value?"

"Meaning if I killed someone for you, I'm off the hook?"

The creature finally leapt down from his perch to face the tall Spaniard and grinned. "Would you? You couldn't do it for the one you wished to die."

"Hey, that's not fair…" Miguel pointed and wiped his nose, stopping himself. Did this thing even care about that?

"Sometimes I'm fair, and sometimes I'm not, just like everyone else. My human half strives for justice if he sees the opportunity. We digress though…if you killed someone for me, then yes; the debt is paid in full."

"And if I don't?" Miguel probed, sensing murder would not be asked of him. "What are your orders, boss?" he asked sarcastically.

"This link we have will serve your instincts well. Good-bye Miguel."

[…]

"Eliminated already?" Asuka asked in shock.

"It's so embarrassing," Lili groaned, burying her forehead into the palm of her right hand.

"Mister Yoshimitsu is a veteran of these tournaments Miss Lili. He is very skilled and likely had an advantage with his supernatural sword," Melissa explained.

"Ugh, I still don't like losing, especially when the two of you advanced. Who'd you beat anyway?"

"A woman named Julia Chang." To save herself from likely pestering questions, Melissa abstained from noting that Julia shared she wished to stop Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima from meeting in fear of the world being destroyed as a result.

"I guess I'll just have to watch from the sidelines," Lili decided. "One of you should avenge me."

"Why? It's not like we're friends with you," Asuka retorted.

"So cruel Asuka. At least Melissa has the excuse of being a robot, and one that works for Jin Kazama at that." The young Japanese girl had eventually explained at least that much of the situation. It was hard to hide such things at this point. First, Lili tried kicking Melissa in the shin only to be thwarted back by its force, expecting her. Then she tried pestering Melissa with a million questions about working for Jin, to which the robot denied answers until vowing to simply ignoring them all entirely.

"Whatever," Asuka muttered.

"I will be facing Mister Yoshimitsu in my next match Miss Lili, so an incidental revenge is possible," Melissa noted.

"Incidental? I suppose that will do."

[…]

Miguel collapsed to the ground, gritting his teeth, holding his left forearm out as if to shield his body. Kazuya Mishima approached, and his opponent put in one last desperate punch, shoving Kazuya back to skid along the ground for several feet. He felt his devil gene stir. What just happened? Miguel took a few tired breaths before collapsing, unconscious.

Kazuya clutched at his forehead briefly. The elder Mishima walked over to the body, placing his foot just over the back. As he put some pressure in its place, a wispy white force-field protected the fallen man. Devil Jin's work, no doubt. His son had tapped into some interesting powers.

[…]

Melissa fared quite well in her match against Yoshimitsu and approached his fallen body, prying the sword from his fingers. "How…?" he uttered before losing consciousness.

"I'm not human, so it stands to reason this sword will not react to me in the same way as it does you or others," Melissa replied. "Fascinating," she tilted her head, studying the object in her hands. "Master Jin has an interest in you, so…come with me."

Back in her hotel room, Asuka and Lili stared at the sword, propped carefully against the wall, fascinated.

Lili reached out her hand in earnest. "You shouldn't…" Melissa began to say, but it was too late, and the young blonde girl pulled it back after being stung. "…touch it."

"Why did you take it?" Asuka asked.

"That information is classified."

"Jin must want it for something," the young Japanese girl decided. "But I can't imagine what…"

"He probably can't touch it either," Lili pointed out.

Asuka quietly pondered if Devil Jin could.

"Unbelievable," Raven remarked to command from a considerable distance peering into Melissa's hotel room window. "She got a hold of the sword." He saw the blue-haired robot turn her head in his direction and smile from underneath her dark sunglasses. He gasped and leapt clear, relaying what just transpired to Command. He needed to head to a match with Nina Williams.

There, even though he expected no answers, he needed to ask all the same. "Jin seems to have a complicated plan in the works. Why does he need the Kazama girl?" His organization knew nothing of any special qualities of the blood on his mother's side, but clearly, the young CEO took an interest for some reason, and it was the only connection they knew. The attempt proved unsuccessful as Nina refused to answer. Before long, the two began their match, and the blonde assassin finished victorious. She studied his attire and pulled out his ear piece in search of clues for who might work for and concluded that it was very likely to be the CIA. Of course. She sighed. They probably wanted Jin's body the way G Corporation once held Kazuya's and ignored the obvious lesson from that endeavor.

Later, she met with Jin to discuss the encounter. He stood facing the window, his back to Nina, knowing Raven had stopped observing so closely once he discovered Melissa and instead focused on her and Asuka. He scoffed. "Everyone wants a piece of the pie, even knowing the pie is poisoned. They think they can suck out the venom and use it for their own ends."


	14. Chapter 20 - Azazel

**Chapter 20 – Azazel**

Hwoarang looked over his shoulder, carefully surveying the area within the small dojo where he and Asuka Kazama remained. She had regained consciousness after their match, making him the victor. He squatted down beside her.

"How much do you know about Jin?" he asked.

She glanced to him, wondering if he could mean the devil, the creature they couldn't speak of at the banquet. "I know…Xiaoyu said something about cursed blood and…"

He nodded for a moment. "And…"

"You know something, don't you?" Asuka asked.

"I saw it, Asuka."

She paused, knowing what he meant. "Me too," she admitted with a bowed head. She never told a soul or even Melissa after learning Jin sent her.

Shocked with wide eyes, Hwoarang asked, "Did he hurt you?"

At last, Asuka relayed the whole event to someone, perhaps the only person who could grasp just what she was dealing with in her devil cousin. Hwoarang too finally explained aloud, more fully, what happened in both the previous tournament and Jin's unexpected recent visit, noting how the word "shadow" occurred to him as well, even if not spoken aloud in their exchange.

"But rid of him?" Asuka asked incredulously. She paused and stared off in the distance. "How? I mean even if that's true…a war…"

"Yeah," Hwoarang agreed. "If Jin Kazama really is in there, that's how he sees himself. I can't imagine the devil doesn't have a plan of his own though…"

The Kazama girl said nothing in response and fell into a contemplative silence.

[…]

Kazuya Mishima smirked. "I'm going to enjoy this."

"Well, if it isn't the man that likes play with big dolls," Melissa noted.

"You have a big mouth for something so small."

"Do I? As I recall, 'doll' was your word. I am merely pointing out that its intended insulting nature can be attributed to your resources as well."

The elder Mishima glowered, and the two soon commenced their battle. Melissa proved flighty and evasive, like a rocket-powered butterfly. In the end, she was still no match for him. Fallen to the floor, Kazuya ripped her head from the body, but the expression on her face looked up at him with a sly smile. "Oops." It exploded, throwing him back, and another head grew in its place on her body. The rockets on her back propelled her to a distance away from him. "You win, Mister Kazuya, proving yourself worthy of your reputation. But I still have other work to do. Until next time." She left the area. He scowled at her, knowing he could chase her down in devil form but determining the effort would be wasted on a mere toy. He would send Anna and Bruce after her at the right time.

[…]

Eventually, the tournament reached its inevitable state where the Mishimas gathered across the globe for the final stages. As Heihachi Mishima reached a desert village, he took note of the angry earth, bubbling with small fountains of magma in the vicinity. He faced his awaiting son, Kazuya. They sneered at each other for several seconds, burning with hatred, yet both knowing all too well…

"That boy…" Heihachi began "…should be dealt with first."

Neither would dare say it aloud, the fact that Jin Kazama defeated them both in succession, even before his powers fully awakened.

Kazuya nodded quietly in agreement. "I know where to find him. I can sense him. His power resonates with this place."

A woman came running up to the scene only to find an outstretched arm block her path, obscured by the wall of a nearby building. It was the blonde woman often seen in Jin's company, Nina Williams. Zafina grabbed the arm only to find Nina pulling her in, holding her tight. The two Mishimas neared, and Heihachi eyed them both. "A trap, is it?" he asked aloud, meaning her indirect aid to their purpose.

"How about you boys just go sort it out yourselves?" she told him. "That's what you want, after all."

By the time Zafina broke free, the Mishima men had moved on, and it became evident she would need to defeat Nina before she could go after them.

Heihachi and Kazuya found the temple soon enough, and their target with his back to them both, facing the door. Jin felt Devil stir with excitement and turned around. He looked from Kazuya to Heihachi and smirked arrogantly. They intended to fight him simultaneously…but...

Kazuya took several paces forward, almost hypnotized as Heihachi stayed some distance back, sensing…something. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked, nodding toward the door.

"Homecoming," Jin said softly, the smirk cleared from his face. "This close, he can finally hear it."

"Azazel," Kazuya said plainly with a deeper voice than usual.

"It? What's that?"

"You'll see." Jin turned to his father. "Ready?" They both touched their palms to two circles on the door, on the left and the other on the right. It opened before them.

"An interesting power dwells here," Heihachi noted.

Neither of his descendants replied. The two devil hosts walked several paces ahead, the eldest Mishima following with several feet to distance himself from them, to be on his guard. Finally, they found the being Jin long sought all these months: the one who awakened his chaos. Small crystals levitated in the air around Azazel with larger ones impaled through his body, chains ensnaring him in place.

"Release me!" Azazel ordered

Both father and son transformed at once in synch with each other. The demons flew surrounding the large monster, clawing or shooting lasers to break the binding crystals and chains.

"So, this was Jin's plan all along, and Kazuya agreed in an instant," Heihachi thought to himself. What came next though…?

At last, the crystals and chains were cleared. Azazel squatted and roared.

"You have done well, puppets," he said, his voice carrying through thoughts all present could hear.

Kazuya glanced to Heihachi. "Now!" He started his barrage of attacks on Devil Jin, forcing his son to descend near the eldest Mishima. His grandfather immediately took advantage of the offer and attacked as well. Jin was on the defensive, attacked by two, with Azazel roaring his disapproval, realizing his so-called puppets had different intentions past his release.

Devil Jin began his fight back against his gathered enemies, hissing with fury. He grabbed Heihachi Mishima's bald head and threw him in Devil Kazuya's elevated direction, aiming a laser blast to shove them both into Azazel's large body. After both men fell to the ground, he rushed to strike the large demon. On impact, Azazel skidded back a few feet, and the other Mishimas rose to attack Jin yet again. Kazuya used an uppercut to force him in Heihachi's direction, who then leapt to kick him in Azazel's direction, who then fired a laser as well. The battle continued in much this manner until the initial sequence repeated.

At last, the body fell back, and Devil Jin looked perfectly serene as a sleeping, fallen angel. An out of breath Heihachi and Devil Kazuya relaxed their muscles for the moment. They would deal with other monster Jin awakened soon enough. "You can't win," Kazuya told the unconscious body.

But then…

The ground shook violently, causing him and Heihachi to tumble forward while Azazel stood firm.

"The end begins, puppets," the monstrous creature declared.

"What the-?" began to escape Heihachi's lips.

Jin's devil body levitated, straightening itself upright. Purple electricity sparked amidst an enclosing white light.

"The child of destiny and darkness finally reveals his true form," Azazel's words rang. Perhaps Jin would behave this time.

"True form?" asked Kazuya. "What are you talking about?!"

"Your methods led you down a different path, ignoring the calling needed for what the boy now has. You'll see for yourself soon enough."

Dust cleared to show Jin's new transformed state. The skin had become dark like charcoal with fur running along the backs of his arms and torso. Bare clawed hands rested at his sides, exposed after his arm guards broke. The chains were gone too. The new power allowed his body to land with grace and ease. This time, he did not scream or howl or grimace. His face was a cold stare of observance straight into Azazel's chest.


	15. Chapter 21 - Servant

**Chapter 21 - Servant**

Asuka Kazama ran fervently along the path and then a few steps leading to the door where the three Mishimas entered Azazel's dark temple. Melissa walked several steps behind, holding the Yoshimitsu sword. The Japanese girl panted and waited just in front of the opening, taking a moment to rest her hands on her knees. "Why are you taking so long?" she griped.

Melissa neared and bowed her head for a moment to examine her assigned escortee from beneath her dark sunglasses. "I assumed you were safe enough leading the way and the slower pace is helping me save my energy in case we had more encounters. I've recharged, but it's best to be prepared nonetheless."

Twice, the girls experienced delay, having to ward off Raven from the Seahorse Hotel together and again with Anna Williams and Bruce Irvin nearing their plane. Asuka would not leave Eddy Gordo to fight two on one, but Miguel of all people came to his aid, ordering the Japanese girl to do her part as thanks. Now in front of Jin's long sought goal, "What? Here?" Asuka asked. Surely, they were out of people who wished to stop her from finally meeting up with Jin in person.

"Miss Zafina perhaps, though she can't do much now that the door is opened. Look out!" Melissa jumped to grab Asuka, hurling them both clear of the open door. Heihachi's whole body flew down and then skidded along the concrete path. The purple form of Devil Kazuya followed, skidding in the same manner.

Asuka backed away on the ground, absolutely terrified of the presence she felt as she saw the charcoal-skinned devil that bared some resemblance to Jin with his hair and build. He took calm, measured steps, and his eyes darted to his left to see the two of them. Without a word, he kept walking to his father and grandfather.

"Melissa…what is that?"

The blue-haired robot did not respond immediately and instead looked back where Jin exited. "Something is coming," she finally said. "Stay clear of the door."

Azazel appeared and roared.

Jin looked in his direction. "Hungry?" He threw Heihachi at the monster. Azazel did not eat him, but he did use his mouth to thrash Heihachi on the ground a couple of times before dropping him to the ground. "As for you…" Jin kicked Kazuya up in the air several feet clear of the area. No doubt that one would return soon enough, but killing would be easier without his presence in the interim. He walked up to Heihachi's coughing, tired body.

"Finish him!" Azazel ordered.

Jin held Heihachi by his gi, and the eldest Mishima recalled a familiar scene in the confines of Honmaru when his grandson spared his life. "Jun Kazama…" he muttered, trying to remind Jin.

"Jin, don't do it!" Asuka yelled. She started to run in his direction, only to find Melissa grabbed her hand.

"It is too late, Miss Asuka."

The obsidian demon did not hesitate this time, striking his grandfather through the chest with his bare clawed hand. His powers tuned out his cousin, along with a great deal of other noise he often heard, though even if he heard her, no one would stop him this time. "It is your own words that said I should have killed you on sight," he told the deceased. Of course, he still would have done it given his grandfather's intentions.

Melissa released Asuka's hand, having served her master's purpose. The Kazama girl ran to approach Jin, staring at him with defiant eyes but before she could speak, he stretched out his arm, telekinetically forcing her to a nearby column. Glowing white chains materialized, wrapping and binding her to it. The glow faded, and they became metal. "Hey! What are you doing?" she shouted at him.

She saw him leap clear as Devil Kazuya returned, diving in an attempt to strike him. Did that mean he just protected her? The purple devil glanced over to the fallen Heihachi Mishima, realizing his death. So, this version of Jin wasn't playing around. The two devils flew upward to battle in the sky. The other three chose to observe, staring into the sky as well. Jin was much faster than his father, easily evading his strikes and appearing behind him with Kazuya flying further upward, only to see that Jin somehow moved even higher than that to descend down and pummel him with several punches before the purple devil crashed back into the ground. He struggled to get up, coughed, and found he did not have the strength. His devil features retreated into his body, and he fell unconscious.

"Kill him!" Azazel ordered for another death.

Jin turned his attention to the large beast. "I'm here to destroy you, not grovel at your feet. These two were just a warm-up."

"Fool, you dare defy me, even with all the power I have given you."

"I did not ask to become this!" Jin yelled. "But if I must use this destructive power to break free, then I will." He crossed his arms like an X and sent a shockwave of power through the vicinity as he brought his arms to his sides. A smoky white aura surrounded him. Melissa quietly glided clear from her place near the monster. Azazel shot several lasers at Jin, who seemed to have invoked an invisible force field, deflecting them with ease. He charged at Azazel and grabbed the larger beast by his right arm, tossing him upward to shoot his own laser from his head before teleporting just above Azazel to strike into his chest. "You won't be needing this anymore," and they both crashed into the ground, causing a massive crater into the underground part of temple. A giant column of white and purple light shot upward.

Melissa glided to Asuka's side and used the Yoshimitsu sword to cut the Japanese girl free. "What's going on?" Asuka asked, holding her forearm out to protect her eyes

"It would appear Master Jin has accomplished his primary objective though I cannot confirm for certain yet," the blue-haired girl said quietly.

The column cleared, and Asuka stared into the depths below. Melissa grabbed her from the bottom of her armpits to help them both descend. There, they saw Azazel's body become a glowing white light that dissolved in an instant. Then they saw metal chains sprout from the dark earth like untamed roots, grabbing the charcoal flesh of Jin's body. "Jin!" Asuka ran over to it. "Melissa, what am I supposed to do?"

Melissa bowed her head slightly to better observe the scene. "Whatever you want," she replied. "He killed Azazel like he wanted and has entrusted his fate thereafter to you. Let the earth take him or try to save him now."

"But…" What did it mean to have the chains take him prisoner? Would he die?

[…]

In the depths of Jin's mind, the landscape was a stark contrast to the one outside. It was night in a place where the ground was thick ice and a chilling breeze passed through. Here dwelled a part of Jin he buried away from his inner demon. Devil knew it existed, seeing it in passing at times like when Jin held back after being pushed into lava, to reserve the demonic power for what just happened. The part that knew the answer to the question Jin avoided all this time. Devil stared at an unusual reflection of himself because Jin retained his black devil appearance in this moment. They commenced a battle. This far in, Jin could call on the ice in ways Devil could not with ice breaking apart beneath where he stood or shooting upward like giant icicles or tiny ice shards shooting as if to prick him. He found he could not conjure fire here either. Devil could still fly and punch and kick. At last, with both of them facing each other, Jin charged at him with a furious scream, tackling him to the ground. His appearance returned to his human self, and he panted several times, straddling Devil, his right forearm resting on the ground as his left arm held him up. The icy landscape was no more, surrounding them with pitch black darkness save for being able to see each other.

Devil gazed up at the human form with subdued fascination. "Well, this is different." He smiled. "The orb will not take me. I do not wish to go and you…are you finally ready to face the truth about yourself?"

Jin glanced side to side of Devil's face as if he were seeing his evil counterpart for the first time. "You're me."

"You're simplifying things. The truth, Jin. You can't stall it any longer. Death has not come for you."

Jin raised his upper body, looking down seriously as he said, "I've noticed the signs for months. Our voices could unite as one in a single thought or action. You would hold me and not harm me at my loneliest of times. I'm not just your pet or your creation, not anymore. You've taken so much that you have enough of me to share my deepest desires, even the one…" Jin trailed off, growing silent and contemplative.

"Go ahead, Jin. Say it," the evil half encouraged. "I've been waiting too long for this moment."

The human half made his evil counterpart wait several long seconds, staring down expressionless in thought before finally, "I want you…to stay here with me," Jin smiled slyly as he leaned downward, "…as my servant." He leaned in even closer, his face just over Devil's. "Power is everything," Jin's eyes glistened as he spoke, and Devil felt his blood tingle. "They were always my words, my own darkness." The human counterpart lifted his head back a little, sparing more distance between them. "You took and amplified the worst part of me, but just as it cost me many evils to give you that power, it cost you my reason for wanting it. Here at the end, the last power to obtain is the one over you. Give yourself to me. I want control. It is the most powerful form we can attain together."

The metallic clawed red gauntlets cupped Jin's cheeks, pulling the young man's face downward and closer. Their lips met as a passionate kiss ensued of electric ecstasy for one and a cool soothing taste for the other. Jin pulled away for but a moment before continuing. His eyes filled with the amber from his devil, with the long-desired acceptance of his supernatural power, fangs visible to the other half as he witnessed the transformation. Jin did not only take in this exchange however. Devil felt a wave of calming energy wash over his own body. The shadow's human will wrapped him with the faint empathy Jin could feel these days along with the memory of it. The boy had kept this thread of humanity close to his heart, obscured from others, no doubt reserved for this moment. The demon's gnawing hunger abated, possibly aided by the other who carried Kazama blood in her veins on the outside, though the sensation could never be fully purged. The cacophony of dark human desires quieted. The chains on his arm, waist, and leg broke apart and dissolved.

At last, Jin pulled away, his lightened eyes gazing intently and freed of his hatred for the monster below him. Devil did not look any different, minus the chains he knew to be absent, but Jin could feel it. The exchange was complete, and their bond solidified. He played with one of the dark tendrils of the demon's hair with his right index finger. Had this creature always been so beautiful? There must have been some vanity in that drink. He had never thought much of his own appearance inside Devil reflecting back at him, but it was in this moment that he could truly appreciate the differences that had always been there. The black wings gave freedom and flight. The markings and the eyes he now wore served as a warning others of the deadly forced that lurked within.

Devil lifted himself forward, and the two of them shifted so that they both now sat upright. Jin sat cross-legged. The supernatural creature rested his left arm on his raised left knee, keeping his right leg sprawled on the ground and right hand as if to prop himself before using it to hold the other's left cheek, admiring his work on what Jin had become. "I'd say that we are now one, but we are forever evolving together, it seems," Devil told him.

The human half clasped the clawed hand gently in his left, latching his right hand onto its wrist, staring at the talons before meeting Devil's eyes. The creature felt enchanted by those transformed amber orbs staring back at him, drawn to the young man. Jin replied, "We can never be the exact same but for a short time yet that is who the world has seen and will continue to see, building our union in their minds. The blood in this body has changed us both." His eyes shifted back to the clawed hand he held, and he pressed his lips against the cold metal of Devil's thumb, sending a seductive chill through the creature. So powerful. "I told you what you wanted to hear. It is your turn to do the same for me," the younger half stated in a commanding low tone, knowing this moment belonged to him, the deed already done.

Devil stroked Jin's cheek thoughtfully with the thumb the young man kissed. He replied softly, "I offer you the service you ask because I know you understand me, what I am…" their lips met briefly again, "and at last, yourself."

Jin guided Devil's hand back to the demon, satisfied. He shifted his gaze to the empty darkness surrounding them, mirroring his counterpart's chosen position. "The path veers right, but it twists and turns. I cannot be human, but I cannot be Devil, so I will just be a powerful monster who does as he sees fit in the shape of either. The enemies I've made should provide you with both sustenance and entertainment as I rectify the wrongs I can. The humans fear us and that will not change just because I pull back in my war. You will have life as you desire though it is not your original vision. Neither is mine...this death is a spectacular failure."

They could sense a light nearing where they still sat, signifying this intimate moment's end. "Allow me to take this opportunity my dear master, to say…I told you so," the demon said with a sly sneer.

Jin snickered and nodded in his counterpart's general direction. "You did well, servant."


	16. Chapter 22 - Orb

**Chapter 22 - Orb**

Melissa held her right arm forward, holding the Yoshimitsu sword perpendicular to it as an offering to Asuka. "Break the chains," she told the other girl, her words firm.

"But…"

"You are bound to Jin Kazama by blood. That alone is not enough, but it is required all the same. I want to save him, even if the objective was programmed from the start, but my desire alone is not enough either. The supernatural powers at work here probably do not consider me a soul. Do you want to help Jin Kazama?"

"The one that Xiaoyu knew…"

The robot shook her head. "No, this one. Do you want to help this one?"

"Melissa, how can you ask me this? This one is a devil. He just killed that old man," Asuka reasoned.

"That old man was his grandfather who shot and betrayed Jin almost three years ago, awakening the very devil of which we speak. This Jin also killed the monster calling him to put the world in chaos," Melissa informed her.

"What?" This had not come up in their earlier discussion about whom and what Azazel was besides a monster waking up in this desert temple, resulting from the war.

"Asuka, we are running out of time. The chains have covered him completely, and the earth is pulling him inward. Do you save Devil Jin or not?"

"Will he die?"

The sword gleamed and shook in Melissa's hand as if to answer, urging Asuka to take it. "It speaks to you," Melissa explained. "I cannot translate."

The human girl grabbed it, and the weapon did not sting her, instead communicating through feeling and thought that she must act quickly lest Jin be taken to replace Azazel as The Rectifier. He could not die. "What do you mean he can't die?" she asked it.

_Power_. That was all it told her. The devil had used that word too, told her it was everything, that she might have power he could use. Now she risked aiding this monster into becoming more powerful if she helped him. Either choice left to the possible destruction of the world. "If I don't believe in him, who will?" Xiaoyu's voice echoed through her mind. Hwoarang's words too, about Devil having a plan of his own. With uncertainty, Asuka hacked at the chains and bit by bit, a few links broke free, glowing white and disappearing. Still, more would grow in their place. "It's not working!" Asuka uttered aloud. As if in response, even more chains grew.

"I must advise you not allow yourself to be discouraged, Miss Asuka. The task ahead is difficult but not impossible."

She hacked with that much more fervor. At last, she began to see his skin, and that it had returned to its natural color. Soon, the chains dissipated entirely, and she dropped the sword, shielding her eyes from a white light surrounding his body. When the light faded, she nervously looked at him. Despite the retracted devil features, his eyes reeked of that chilling amber the evil creature wore.

"Master Jin, you're alright," the usually cold-mannered Melissa warmly hugged him, not the least bit concerned at the evident change.

Upon release of their embrace, he reached out his arm, gently placing his hand on her head. "Melissa…you did well. Thank you." He shifted his gaze over to Asuka, and the Japanese girl gulped nervously, still not sure she had done the right thing. "Give me a few minutes alone with Asuka," he said, the words intended for Melissa though his eyes fixated on his cousin.

"Shall I take the sword as well?" the blue-haired robot offered.

"No, I'm going to need it for one more thing," he said.

"Understood." Melissa glided her way up out of the crater.

Asuka backed away a couple of steps. Would he use the sword on her? She doubted it would allow her to touch it now.

"Do I still frighten you?" he asked with that eerie gentleness from the night they first met.

"Why are your eyes changed? They look like Devil's, not Jin's."

"Evolution," Jin replied. He took a few steps so that they faced each other, much more closely, like when he backed her into a wall in Osaka. His imposing presence did not feel quite as menacing though Asuka still left a twinge of unease in her core. "You granted me use of your power to change yet again, and I thank you for it," he told her.

"What have you changed into though? You feel different but still demonic."

"I promise nothing but my gratitude, Asuka. I am just a less evil monster. But remember this." He whispered in her ear. "As I am devil to this world, you are my angel, thereby protecting us all."

"What kind of…?" she began to argue, but he already left her, searching the ground for something.

Before anything else could happen though, Melissa's body came crashing down, her arms detached from her body. "Master…I'm sorry…" she struggled to say before shutting down.

Devil Kazuya landed with a thud. "Like I said, scrap metal."

"Melissa!" Asuka ran over to the broken android.

Jin eyed the fallen blue-haired girl. No doubt she saved a backup of herself before fighting Kazuya, or at least after she hugged him, and her doctor father could repair her parts. Still, he could not console Asuka with his father present. The less an enemy knew about Melissa's capabilities, the better.

"We're not finished yet, Jin," Kazuya said.

A wind encircled Jin as he transformed with ease, no charcoal casing to be seen. He doubted it would be necessary here. The younger devil evaded the attacks with little effort. Kazuya threw a few more punches and kicks that Jin evaded yet again. Jin finally grabbed his father's wrist on the last attempted punch. He squeezed. Kazuya grunted in agony as he felt his bones being crushed. Jin let go and shoved him back. Kazuya's bones healed inside, but the pain still stung.

"Is this what she did? You just used her to gain even more power?" He nodded in Asuka's direction.

"I owe no explanation to you." Jin scanned the ground again and finally found what he sought before his father arrived. A dark purple orb floated into his hand. He suspected it might affect Kazuya. "Catch," he tossed it into his father's direction.

The purple devil dodged upon suspicion of his son's scheme. However, Jin purposely seized the opportunity to strike his father several times, throwing him to the ground. The orb came to Jin once more, and he placed it in his Kazuya's right hand. The elder Mishima began to scream as he felt his devil power ripping from his body as the dark sphere absorbed it. He lost consciousness as he became human once more. Jin eyed the orb closely for a few moments. The dark power inside preferred to stay where it had gone instead of joining the rest of him.

"Jin, what did you do to him?" Asuka asked.

He snickered. "Me? His devil left of its own accord."

"Why?"

He stared a bit longer, holding the orb. "This one suffered more than mine, and his power greatly weakened in that body. He is tired and ready to rest." Jin walked over to her. "Take it," he commanded.

Asuka looked at him with quiet alarm. "It's dangerous."

"That is why you need to purify it before I destroy it. My blood is too corrupt for me to do it myself. Take it."

She grabbed the sphere and stared down into it. At first, nothing happened and as she was about to ask Jin what she was supposed to do, she remembered Melissa's own conviction in encouraging Asuka. She focused. The purple changed to clear, easing the evil power's hunger and pain as she had done on Jin himself moments ago. Jin picked up the Yoshimitsu sword and pierced it. A tuft of smoke exhaled, rendering the magical orb useless.

"Come on, let's go," he told Asuka.

"What about him?" she gestured to Kazuya's direction. "…and Melissa?"

"Kazuya? He's the second most powerful man in the world. He'll be fine."

"You're just going to leave him here?"

Jin rolled his eyes. "Let me get you and Melissa up first. I want a word with him before we leave." First, he lifted Asuka, then returned for Melissa's parts and left them in the care of his cousin.

"Hey!" he shook Kazuya's body.

Kazuya woke up and backed away several inches. "What more could you possibly want from me, you monster?"

Devil Jin chuckled evilly. This moment tasted too good. "We're leaving," he admitted more seriously. "I spare you this once. I did the same for Heihachi, and much as I may hate you, the reasons are different. My wrath is not as strong. However, if you seek to take my power or to destroy me, ever again, I will kill you. Without hesitance and without mercy."

"Don't expect me to go quietly into that good night, _Jin_."

The younger Mishima scanned his father's face for a moment, hiding his recognition of those words from many months ago. Both beings in the body already knew Devil carried some of Kazuya's traits in him. "Is that a threat? Because I can solve the matter right now."

Kazuya looked away bitterly. "Why? Why do you have so much power?"

Devil Jin snickered. "Several reasons, but it's not a conversation I wish to have with you." He grabbed Kazuya by the right forearm and threw him upwards out of the crater. He examined the location one last time and picked up the Yoshimitsu sword. "I'll return you soon. Let's go."

He ascended out of the crater to meet up with the others and saw Zafina and Nina, both looking exhausted. Zafina collapsed forward at the sight of him. Jin returned to human form. "What have you done?" the woman who called this place her home managed, with difficulty, to ask.

"I put an end to things just like I told you I would. The details make for a long story and perhaps one day, I can tell you, but I have several matters I wish to attend to first." He walked over to Nina. "Are you alright?"

She smiled, relieved to hear such a question considering the color in his eyes. She was holding herself up better than Zafina. "You're not dead."

"Change of plans," he admitted.

The group saw Zafina returned safely to her village, left Kazuya to his own devices, and were aided by the Tekken Force to return home.


	17. Chapter 23 - Epilogue

**Chapter 23 - Epilogue**

Melissa stood, fully repaired, facing Jin in his office. "Yoshimitsu is returned to its rightful owner," she said with a bow.

"Good," Jin noted. "It seems all your work is done, so…do as you wish from here on out, Melissa."

"I beg your pardon, Master?"

"Go. Be whoever you want to be. Return to your father or go on vacation or get a job or travel and see the world. Anything you want. Your mission is complete."

"If I may say so, Master Jin, can I not do all those things while still working for you? I only ask to be paid as you do for your other employees."

Jin raised his eyebrows, intrigued. "You wish to stay?"

She nodded. "I like you. I know Father made me this way, but it's still true to me. Even if he could program me otherwise, I don't want it."

"So long as that's what you really want…"

"I am certain."

"So be it. You do excellent work. Dismissed, Melissa."

After the blue-haired android left, Jin checked the time to see it conveniently lined up with another meeting he wished to have, away from the office. He made his way to Mishima Polytechnic where he stood just outside waiting.

Panda accompanied Ling Xiaoyu to this day. Some things hadn't changed. The Chinese girl saw him standing alone in his long black coat, staring at her. He stood across the road, underneath a tree. A small breeze passed through, shifting his hair and coat. At first, she froze and then slowly walked to the figure, certain he could only be a dream.

"Jin?" Both his eyes looked gold, like the rumored evil creature that lurked inside of him, yet his expression did not look malicious.

"Hello Xiaoyu. I'm different than the Jin Kazama you once knew, but I wanted to see you and apologize. I'm sorry I had to keep myself away from you for so long and that you had to see what the worst of me can do."

"Am I dreaming again?"

"You dreamed about me?" He looked up at their surroundings in thought, holding back a smile.

She nodded. "What…"

"I died," Jin interrupted and told her in a steadfast tone.

Tears streamed in her eyes, remembering the tales of the Mishima curse Yoshimitsu told her.

"I died, and I became something else," he admitted.

"You're still Jin to me. We're friends, remember?" Xiaoyu tried to keep her voice from cracking. How long had she wanted this moment? And now that he was here, she could barely think of what to say.

Jin finally allowed a nostalgic smile of his to form, and he thought back to that night by the fire when he told Nina the only way he could think of Xiaoyu at the time. "I do remember. You're the only person who could ever see me that way, even after everything I've done. Thanks for that, Xiao."

"What's going to happen now?" she prodded.

The young CEO looked at the ground and half-shrugged. "Who knows? I have a lot of powers these days but seeing into the future is not one of them." He looked up and at her. "There isn't an undo button on the world. Humanity already had its problems before mine. Peace must be actively sought; it is not something I can give though I'll do my part. I end my declaration of war and will work with the opposing leaders on the next step."

"Will you keep ruling the world?"

Jin narrowed his eyes, not in suspicion, but in assessing his own plan. Xiaoyu couldn't tell the difference and so swallowed in uncertainty as she waited for his response. "That depends on many things, such as those leaders. I can't imagine people as a whole would have me as their leader after the chaos I've caused, but…some institutions and people were attracted to my power and wanted to be a part of it. Others are truly dependent on what Mishima provides. So, it is yet to be decided."

An awkward paused passed before Xiaoyu spoke again, her cheeks flush with pink. "Are you and Nina…?"

"When I want to be with you, I will come see you. When I want to be with Nina, I will go see her. It really is that simple."

"I see…" She bowed her head. There was an edge to his voice, but she could envision even the Jin from some years ago feeling that way without bringing himself to say it aloud for fear of hurting her feelings.

"Have I upset you?" he asked, as if to confirm exactly what she thought, softening his tone.

She shook her head. "It's just…oh Jin I missed you so much!" She opened her arms and tightened a caring embrace around him. He awkwardly placed his right hand on her back to return it. "I missed you too. I need to go. See you later Xiao."

Jin made sure to walk out of her view before teleporting away.

[…]

Miguel stood in the same place as when he last spoke with Devil Jin, staring up at the tree as if the silhouette would re-appear. He turned around to see Jin approaching in his usual long black coat, noticing the gold eyes. "How do you feel?" Jin asked him.

"Somewhat back to normal. I knew I'd find you here. Our little deal is done, right? Because I helped those girls."

The devil host nodded.

Miguel scoffed with a wry smile. "So when you asked if I had a human life to give…"

"There's no guarantee either of them would have been killed, and Melissa is not human. Still, the act had value."

"What will you do next, Devil?"

"Change is coming. Our pact is over, and anything more on the answer requires details not suited to share with an outsider to my organization. Wait and see. If you ever feel like coming back though, do tell…" Jin paused, looking the large specimen over. "You were an unexpected treasure."

The Spaniard looked away with uncertainty. "How can I? You're the enemy. I know you can't bring them back, I know what you are, Jin Kazama, but you still took them from me. The pain is transformed and remembered. I cannot kill you, but I cannot ally myself with you again now that the fog has cleared. I fell weak, clinging to life. To do that again…it's…a betrayal."

The young CEO looked at their surrounding area with a long pause. "If you say so," he noted.

"Am I wrong?"

"Who would know better than you, the depths of your own heart?"

"But you can hear such things. Can you not? That's why…"

Jin raised his eyebrows. "The depths of evil, of ill intent…if I wanted to, I could hear them. Such things may be in your heart, but they are not the only things. I'm sure we can find each other, should you reconsider. Farewell." The young Japanese man disappeared amid black feathers and wind, as was his custom.

[…]

At last, Jin and Nina found time to have a meeting of their own in his office. "It's good to see you alive, Jin. I know it wasn't in your plans, but I'm still glad."

"Surprisingly, you're not the only one."

"Are you going to tell me what actually happened?"

Jin looked contemplative, knowing she wanted what anyone who knew about the devil gene wanted to know. "I'm still a monster, just not as evil," he confided and then laid out the same plans he had told Xiaoyu earlier. "Looks like your position is still open if you want it for a while longer. I can't offer any specific time frame. It should stay interesting enough for you, I should think."

"That depends. Do you and I have anything here? Beyond me working for you."

"I went to see Xiao…" he began to explain.

"And?" Nina asked, downplaying her interest

"I can call her my friend again," Jin decided aloud.

"That's…nice," Nina spoke in a careful maner.

"Yes," he remarked thoughtfully. "So I will tell you the same thing I told her. When I want to see Xiaoyu, I will go see her. When it's not concerning work and I want to see you, I will come see you. No commitment and you know my condition…so physical intimacy would have its limits."

Nina had no interest in commitment either. It was a relief really, and she said as much, followed by "You know, you could have an operation to help with that. There are things people do to their bodies to not have kids, men included. Have you considered that? And are you absolutely sure you don't want kids?"

He blinked, flummoxed. How had he not even considered it? Well, that was easy, actually, keeping every notion of romance or lust as downright impossible, a general detachment from humanity, be it his own or connecting with others like Nina or Asuka. Could it really be done? Other questions started to arise, questions he needed to ask Devil at another time.

"I guess this means you haven't considered it," Nina said, noticing how he had fallen into deep thought, nearly forgetting she was even in the room.

He blinked again and slightly shook his head, snapping himself out of the stupor. "You sure you want to be with someone like me?" Jin inquired. "I'm quite self-absorbed, as you can see. Hard not to be with two power-hungry monsters in here."

She snickered. "Yeah, I know, yet somehow you…you hide it well, Jin Kazama, but I can see you, the one who poured me a glass of wine and opened himself, just a little bit, when asked."

"It was just business," he said, feigning innocence.

"I'm sure," she replied with gentle sarcasm. She walked up to him and grabbed the lapels of his coat. "I can at least kiss you now, right?"

"Bring it," he replied with a faint and sly smile.

Nina leaned in, and her lips touched his, their tongues intertwining. She tasted warm unlike the cold heart she wore on her sleeve. It wasn't like drinking power from Devil, but it was strong and sensual. Nina smiled as she pulled away. "Not bad rookie. You've had some practice somewhere."

His gold eyes shimmered. "That's just going to have to be my little secret."


End file.
